Exhibit shines light on myths about greenhouse produce
KAREN DAVIDSON
Toronto, ON -- Cool as a
cucumber, Peter Quiring fielded
media questions about the
“Learning Greenhouse,” one of
the new exhibits at last month’s
Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.
It’s the first time that the owner
of Nature Fresh Farms has put his
brand in front of a consumer
audience. The 10-day show also
led to an epiphany: many myths
still exist about greenhouse
produce.
As the largest greenhouse
pepper grower in North America,
Quiring is used to meeting large
retailers at trade shows such the
Produce Marketing Association’s
recent event in New Orleans.
However, he’s been itching to
talk to consumers directly. The
promise of 300,000 Greater
Toronto Area visitors to the
Royal seemed like an ideal venue,
especially located within the “For
the love of food” pavilion.
“We want consumers to eat
more vegetables, and of course
more greenhouse vegetables,”
says Quiring. “We’re looking to
increase domestic share, so that
means letting consumers know
the benefits of Ontario or
Canadian-grown product and to
look for the label.”
As demographics are changing
rapidly in metropolitan areas,
Quiring wants to understand those
cultural shifts, face to face. He’s

For the first time, Nature Fresh Farms rented exhibit space at last month’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto. Thanks to sister company, South Essex Fabrications, a miniature-sized working greenhouse was erected complete with grow-lights, recirculating irrigation system,
retractable energy screen, beehive and tomatoes growing in coconut husk media. Putting time – and brand – on the line with “The Learning
Greenhouse,” owner Peter Quiring says consumer engagement is the next step in increasing domestic demand. Photo by Ben Radvanyi.

convinced the timing is right to
put vegetables at the center of the
plate. That’s why he devoted
several days to meeting with the
public as did his food safety
officer, operations manager and

integrated pest management
specialist. Even the company’s
in-house chef came to cook eggplant no-meat meatballs for the
health professionals’ dinner.
While dietitians were receptive,

the mass audience is more cautious about trying new products.
“We’re not where we thought
we were,” concluded Ray
Wowryk, director of business
development for Nature Fresh

Farms, when the show ended.
“The greenhouse vegetable industry and Nature Fresh Farms have
a lot of work to do in educating
about healthy eating.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Tomato farmers are crushed by closure of
H.J. Heinz plant
Leamington, ON –Ketchup maker H.J.
Heinz Co., has hammered the tomato capital
of Canada, announcing the closure of its century-old plant by next June. Physically located
at the center of Leamington, the secondlargest facility in the Heinz universe will let
go 740 employees. The impact will have farreaching effects in southwestern Ontario, particularly Essex and Kent counties.
That’s where 46 growers of processing
tomatoes won’t have contracts. Forty per cent
of the processed tomato industry –4,300 acres
– will be pulled out of tomato production.
Seven smaller processors remain, contracting
about 300,000 tons from 7,300 acres. While
this highly productive land is suitable for
wheat, soy and corn, they are lower-valued

crops that don’t require the planting and harvesting equipment specific for tomatoes.
“The switch was flipped overnight,” says
Dave Epp, whose family has had a contract
since 1950.
Since H.J Heinz was bought by Warren
Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway fund and a
Brazilian investment company, 3G Capital,
earlier in the year, speculation was rife about
a potential closure. With no obvious investments going into the plant, growers were suspicious. What has offended them, says Epp, is
the lack of notice for a transition period.
“When I signed my agreement last spring,
questions were specifically asked about a
potential closure and whether the company
would honour verbal assurances of a two-year

transition period,” he says. “That question
was run up the flag pole to the top and the
answer came back to go ahead with a threeyear agreement. With this announcement, I
have some issues with what’s happened, after
our family’s 63-year relationship with Heinz.”
Epp is one of 13 growers who had invested
in 36 kilometres of pipeline and a pumphouse
that filtered water from Lake Erie to irrigate
2,500 acres of tomatoes. Known as the
Leamington Area Drip Irrigation project, this
ambitious infrastructure won accolades from
none other than the Ontario premier with a
$100,000 award for agri-food innovation
excellence.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

PAGE 2 –– DECEMBER 2013
THE GROWER

AT PRESS TIME…
Metro demands food
safety compliance

Water treatment
systems listed

Effective December 31, 2013,
Metro has announced that they
require all produce suppliers to be
certified under a recognized food
safety program. All produce vendors who provide produce to
Metro will be required to be certified under one of the Global Food
Safety Initiatives (GFSI) recognized food safety standards.
Suppliers are urged to contact
their Metro buyer for further
information.

Earlier this year, Vineland
Research and Innovation Centre
(VRIC) hosted a workshop about
greenhouse and nursery irrigation
water treatment systems. A listing
of these technologies is now
available at
www.ces.uoguelph.ca/water
There are many available technologies that can be used says
Youbin Zheng, VRIC environment horticulture chair. They can
be for pH control, particle and
debris removal, to treat irrigation
water for pathogen control or to
remove nutrients and other
contaminants before discharge.
“This website is intended to
collect as much reliable information as possible in one single
place to help you decide which
technology/technologies to select
for your specific operations, and
to provide some essential technical data to help make the right
decision when using these technologies,” says Zheng.

Potato award

HZPC, one of the largest seed
and potato breeding companies in
Europe, awarded Potato Woman
of the Year to Ontario potato specialist, Eugenia Banks. The honour was presented in The
Netherlands at an open house
where new potato varieties are
displayed. She was cited for her
Potato Field Guide, technology
transfer through variety trials and
enthusiasm for working with
potato farmers.

Dreams can come
true in agriculture
Ontario Agri-Food Education
Inc. has unveiled its new website
for teachers and students to
explore careers that don’t readily
come to mind. The launch of
GrowingCareers.ca couldn’t have
come at a better time, just days
after Ontario premier and ag minister Kathleen Wynne challenged
the agri-food industry to create
120,000 new jobs by 2020.

NEWSMAKERS
Think winemaker. Think food
wholesaler. Think director of
food marketing. All of these jobs
are unique and don’t necessarily
have the educational track that
most would assume.
The website has posted videos
of these horticultural careers. Jay
Johnston, for instance, talks about
how he got out of the software
business at age 30 to pursue a
more creative career as a winemaker at Flat Rock Cellars. “I
didn’t want to be chained to a
desk, where there was a new
cycle every six weeks,” he says.
He enjoys being out in the vineyard as well as the art and science
of winemaking.
John Russell relates his long
career at the Ontario Food
Terminal in the food wholesaling
business. “You need your running shoes on when you come to
work,” he says. “We’re looking
for young people who show
ambition and are willing to bring
new ideas.”
Women such as Ippolito
Produce’s Ashlee Mclean have
busy careers in marketing. She
describes a typical day as everything from designing packaging
to food writing to tweeting. “I
love being able to have a voice,”
she says.
The website offers tips about
job searching, writing resumes
and more. As Colleen Smith,
OAFE executive director,
remarked at the launch, “We’ve
been too modest in celebrating
the diversity of jobs that agriculture can offer.”

The Ontario Produce Marketing Association Gala and Awards Night
brought out 520 people, a record for this event. The Cory ClackStreef Produce Person of the Year was awarded to Noel Brigido,
Freshline Foods. The
Outstanding Achievement
award was won by Nature Fresh
Farms, owned by Peter
Quiring. The Outstanding
Achievement award went to
Adrian Huisman, former
general manager of the Ontario
Tender Fruit Producers’
Marketing Board. Ben
Alviano, Mann Packing Co was
honoured with the Fresh award.
Congrats to all winners.
Adrian Huisman
CropLife Canada has announced that Ted Menzies, long-time
Alberta farmer and former Member of Parliament for the riding of
Macleod, will be the new president and CEO as of January 1. He
held several federal positions including federal minister of state for
finance and parliamentary secretary to the minister of finance. He
succeeds Lorne Hepworth who is retiring.
Mastronardi Produce president and CEO, Paul Mastronardi, has
been named Ontario’s 2013 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the
Year, Food and Beverage Category winner. As the fourth-generation
president based in Kingsville, Ontario, he heads a team that has
pioneered many innovative business practices in the greenhouse
vegetable sector.
Bev Shipley, an Ontario MP representing Lambton-KentMiddlesex, is the new chair of the House of Commons agriculture
committee. An agenda is to be set for the winter season that will
likely include the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement
(CETA) with the EU.
Congratulations to Dr. Manjeet Sethi, executive director of the Pest
Management Centre, who was recognized as one of the top 25 people in the Ottawa capital. Ottawa Life recognizes top leaders on an
annual basis.
Shelley Imbeault is now executive assistant/market development
coordinator for the Asparagus Farmers of Ontario. She was formerly
with Erie Innovation and Commercialization.
The Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) has elected
five new directors for the 2013 – 2014 growing season. The
following have been elected for a two-year term:
Tony Coppola, Jordan Kniaziew, Naunihal Gill, Marco
Hoogenboom, James Neven. They join current directors: James
Cornies, Paul Mastronardi, Jim Slater, Jan Van der Hout and
Jim Veri.

Primo Red

Approx. 65 days
to maturity, extra
large, smooth,
very firm globe.

Red Deuce

Approx. 72 days
to maturity, extra
large uniform
fruit, high yielding.

Ashlyn Bird has joined the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers
as marketing and communications coordinator, recommending and
monitoring marketing and communications programs. She is an
Honours Bachelor of Commerce graduate from the University of
Windsor and will be completing her Masters of Business
Administration this month.
Taste Canada recently hosted its annual awards for Canadianauthored cookbooks. Of note, Vancouver-based Sharon Hanna
took first prize in the single-subject category for The Book of Kale.
The CBC’s People’s Choice Award was won by Mairlyn Smith for
The Vegetarian’s Complete Quinoa Cookbook. Elizabeth Baird,
former food editor for 20 years at Canadian Living Magazine, was
inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The Association of Ontario Food Processors welcomes new
director, Adrian Jaques. He is part owner of Sunshine Pickles, a
family owned and operated company which has been processing
vegetables since the early 1990s.
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair welcomes Peter Hohenadel as
director, agriculture and food. He’s an agriculture graduate of the
University of Guelph, a former farm journalist with Country Guide
and a long-time advertising agency practitioner. Mark your
calendar for the Royal, November 7-16, 2014.
For more newsmakers, specific to the grape and wine industry, see
B2.

DECEMBER 2013 –– PAGE 3
THE GROWER

CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT

Exhibit shines light on myths about greenhouse produce
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
As more than 5,000 students
flooded the show one day,
Wowryk observed the gap
between Nature Fresh’s message
and what students were eating:
pizza, hot dogs and poutine. And
among adults, the questions were
surprising. Is your produce made
from genetically modified organisms? Is your produce organic?
Do you spray pesticides?
Perhaps most perplexing of all,
Wowryk says consumers of all
ages had misconceptions that
hydroponic produce doesn’t have
flavour. That’s quite a shock for a
company that tests 350 varieties
every year in the quest for taste.
“All of this points to the need
for more demonstrating and tasting at the retail level,” says
Wowryk. That’s an expensive
challenge, with in-store demos
easily costing $500 per day.
Here’s the double-edged sword
for fast-growing companies such
as Nature Fresh. They must
expand to fill the needs of retailers who are increasingly dealing
directly with growers who can
guarantee consistency of supply

and quality. But as they grow bigger, they are farther removed
from the end consumer. That’s
the paradox. There are 150
million consumers within a
12-hour drive of Leamingtonarea greenhouses but as Nature
Fresh has just discovered, there
can be major gaps in perception
of the end product. Guaranteeing
the brand experience becomes a
shared responsibility between
grower and retailer.
Quiring is being as transparent
as possible. In a video stationed
above a display of tomatoes, peppers and eggplants, he laid bare
the vastness of his greenhouses
that some may say looks like
corporate farming. An award
from the Ontario Produce
Marketing Association honoured
his technical prowess and
innovation. But for all that
pioneering, the bottom line is
taste.
Ken Wong, a distinguished
professor of marketing at Queens
University, offers his perspective.
Why doesn’t Nature Fresh Farms
meet students in their universe by
putting peppers on their hot dogs?
“The reality is that most

“The Learning Greenhouse” was a beacon for consumers on the exhibit floor of the recent Royal
Agricultural Winter Fair.
consumers don’t care if produce
is grown in a greenhouse,” says
Wong. “Consumers are overwhelmed with information today
and what they want is taste. Make
taste the central message and

emphasize how it’s natural or
organic. The greenhouse is the
supporting story, the draw for
getting consumers into the
booth.”
For a multi-million dollar

business that has 130 acres under
glass at Leamington, Ontario, the
investment in 800 square feet of
exhibit space may prove to be a
defining moment in its 14-year
history.

Consumers simply rinse and
slice the squash, toss with oil
and add the seasoning packet,
and sauté over heat for five
minutes.
“It’s pantry to plate in just
over five minutes and the only
additional ingredient is olive
oil,” says Jeremy Lane, sales
director for Baloian Farms,
Fresno, California.
Available in an eight-count
case, the product is expected to
retail for about $3.99.

UNITED STATES

SPAIN

Apples galore

Olé for the tomato

Storage of U.S. fresh-market
apples is up 10 per cent over last
year, with 120 million bushels
tallied as of November 1. On a
variety basis, Gala and Granny
Smith were up while Red
Delicious, Fuji and Golden
Delicious were down.
Common varieties on the
eastern part of the continent –
McIntosh, Jonathan, Empire,
Rome and Cortland – were up
substantially from 2012 when
frost wiped out the Michigan and
New York crops.

After Mexico and the
Netherlands, Spain is the world’s
largest tomato exporter. The data
was just released for 2011 by the
Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) of the
United Nations.
Mexico, which is the largest
exporter, shipped a total of 1,493
million kilos. The Netherlands, in
second place, exported a total of
1,040 million kilos, while Spain,
ranked at number three, shipping
964 million kilos of tomatoes.
As for the value of those
exports, there are no changes in
the three top positions. The
number one spot was still for
Mexico, with 1,517 million Euro,
followed by the Netherlands with
1,143, Spain with 857.

INTERNATIONAL
NEW ZEALAND

UNITED STATES

Apple exports
suspended to China

Spicing up squash

The New Zealand apple
industry has halted apple exports
to China as it resolves the issue
of post-harvest rot, which was
detected on three consignments
of fruit. A release from New
Zealand’s Ministry for Primary
Industries (MPI) said the rot,
caused by the fungus Neofabraea
alba, does not pose any food
safety risk but has been identified
as a quarantine pest by China for
health reasons.

Baloian Farms has launched
an individually wrapped tray
with three whole squash and a
seasoning packet. Research
found that the average consumer
generally purchases two to three
pieces and a mix of both yellow
and green at a given time.
Flavour packet options
include Parmesan and herb, and
garlic and red pepper flavours,

Source: FreshPlaza.com

Source: CHC hort shorts

Source: Thepacker.com

Source: hortidaily.com

Ontario Pesticide Survey

www.ontariopesticidesurvey.ca

Beginning December 5, all Ontario field crop, vegetable, fruit and specialty crop farmers are asked to fill out a
confidential, anonymous survey of pesticide use for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Ministry
of Rural Affairs. This year, the survey is being conducted by Farm & Food Care Ontario.
The survey will be available online at www.ontariopesticidesurvey.ca beginning December 5. Farm & Food Care
will also accept mail-in, fax or email returns of the survey. Data collection will continue until February 15, 2014.
For more information, contact Environmental Coordinator Bruce Kelly at Farm & Food Care:
bruce@farmfoodcare.org or 519-837-1326, extension 292.

PAGE 4 –– DECEMBER 2013
THE GROWER

GLOBALIZATION

Tomato farmers are crushed by closure of H.J. Heinz plant
the departure of Heinz.
“We’re still getting over the
shock and awe,” says Brian
Taylor, Setterington’s Fertilizer
Service Ltd., Essex, Ontario, less
than a week after the announcement. As an input supplier of
fertilizer and crop protection
products, Taylor says he is
number-crunching to estimate the
impact on his business. He anticipates that the full impact won’t be
known for a year as the ripples
affect the service industry. But

with 300,000 acres of arable land
in Essex County, he’s optimistic
there will be a way to adjust and
modify how he operates.
“Don’t sell the people of
Leamington short,” says Epp.
“The community will pull together. Let’s think of the opportunity
that these freed-up acres present
with assurances of quantity and
quality of water. That’s got to be
attractive to other industries.”
Heinz corporate affairs did not
return a call for comment.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Built as recently as 2009, the
$10 million investment was to
compete against California-grown
tomatoes and maintain worldclass yields.
Ironically, irrigation was no
insurance for overabundant rainfall during the 2013 season. Of
the 500,000 tons contracted by all
tomato processors, only 350,000
tons were delivered. Heinz would
represent 40 per cent of that.
“It’s been a poor year for
tomatoes,” says Al Krueger,
executive assistant, Ontario

Processing Vegetable Growers.
“I don’t want to speculate on
what the remaining seven Ontario
processors will do. In the shortterm, they are limited by scope
and size of existing operations.”
The trend of globalization will
have a very real effect on the
local economy of Leamington.
Besides the loss of 740 direct
jobs, the worry is that another
2,000 jobs are at risk in the
supply chain.
That’s also bad news for
Premier Kathleen Wynne who
recently challenged the Ontario
agri-food industry to create
120,000 jobs by 2020 in the food

and beverage industry. Her
clarion call will require policy
changes to lower utility rates,
speed up building licences and to
streamline environmental
regulations if Ontario is to
become one of the top five places
in North America to grow and
process food. Those are just
some of the threats facing the
food and drink industry according
to Steve Peters, a former ag minister and now executive director
of the Alliance of Ontario Food
Processors. Recommendations
from a recent strategy document
is a blueprint for moving forward,
but won’t be in time to reverse

Canadian Horticultural Council Annual General
Meeting, The Grand Hotel, Kelowna, BC

DECEMBER 2013 –– PAGE 5
THE GROWER

GLOBALIZATION

A Chinese delegation visits Canadian blueberry farms
KAREN DAVIDSON
Farmer conversations are always the same around the
world. What kind of soil do you have? What are the
pests? How are the prices? That’s exactly what Jeff Zelem
discovered when he hosted a group of 10 Chinese
extension workers in early October.
“I jumped at the chance to meet this group of Chinese,”
says Zelem, owner of Kent Kreek Berries, Simcoe,
Ontario. “They are going to grow blueberries with or
without us.”
The opportunity came out of the blue with a phone call
from Elena Caprioni, program director of York
University’s Asian Business and Management Program.
Fluently bilingual in Mandarin, she was responsible for
organizing an intense three-week trip that focused on
blueberry production in Ontario and British Columbia.
“Blueberries represent a new market in China,” she
explains. “These extension workers want to learn about
different blueberry production systems, irrigation, pest
management and of course, import-export.”
This group had a laser focus on blueberries, commented
Kevin Schooley, Ontario Berry Growers’ Association and
one of the lecturers. They had very specific questions
about improving pH balances.
The Chinese province of Shandong, south of Beijing, is
the most famous region for blueberries, however this tour
group was from the landlocked province of Guizhou
(pronounced GWAY-JO), a hilly region with marginal
soil. Of the 10 visitors, six were from the Guizhou
Botanical Garden Fruit Tree Resource Lab. The remaining
members were from Majiang County, an area that’s been
designated for a blueberry eco-tourism centre. From the
Chinese perspective, blueberry picking is considered a
leisure activity and something of an exotic pursuit when
packaged with outdoor scenery.

One of their first stops was at Kent Kreek Berries
where Jeff Zelem spent a sunny afternoon talking about all
aspects of production, including his mechanical harvester.
“I was surprised that they were growing organic
blueberries,” says Zelem. “That’s a very difficult task,
because blueberries don’t tolerate pests very well. They
didn’t know very much about spotted wing drophosila, a
pest that’s really been an issue for us this year.”
Comparing notes, Zelem discovered that their acreages
are relatively small. Zelem’s farm of 16 acres of
blueberries plus another eight coming into production
would be considered large for the Chinese. Despite harsh
growing conditions in the province of Guizhou, the
budding blueberry business is enticing. The blue jewels are
worth gold – about $13 per kilogram – to newly
empowered consumers looking for an exotic fruit.
The Chinese delegation also visited Andrews’ Scenic
Acres, Wilson’s Fresh Blueberries and Kawartha Country
Wines as well as the Ontario Food Terminal, Vineland
Research and Innovation Centre and the Hamilton
Farmers’ Market.

A group of 10 Chinese blueberry extension workers visited
Ontario and British Columbia in late October. Here, Wen
Guanqin, an engineer from the Guizhou Botanical Garden
Fruit Tree Resource Lab examines blueberry bushes at the
farm of Jeff and Paula Zelem, Kent Kreek Berries near
Simcoe, Ontario.

OFVGA welcomes guest speaker

Ontario Fruit and
Vegetable Growers’
Association

NEW REVISED
TWO DAY
FORMAT

DEREK EDWARDS

155th Annual
General Meeting

with meetings
Monday and
Tuesday, banquet
Monday night.

Stand-up comedian Derek
Edwards is proof positive: you
can take the boy out of the
country, but you can’t take the
country out of the boy. His
award-winning “rural” humour
has made him the hottest thing
in Canada.

Award-Winning
Comedian

January 13 & 14, 2014
Crowne Plaza
Niagara Falls, ON

AWARD OF MERIT
NOMINATIONS
The award is our way of
recognizing the outstanding
contribution made by an
individual or organization to
our fruit and vegetable industry.

REGISTRATION FORM, AGENDA AND AWARD OF MERIT
NOMINATION FORM AVAILABLE AT

www.ofvga.org

Is there someone you
would like to nominate?
Deadline: Nov. 30, 2013

PAGE 6 –– DECEMBER 2013
THE GROWER

ONTARIO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION

Board briefs
Following are highlights from the
OFVGA board meeting held
November 14, 2013. The purpose
of this brief is to keep you up-todate on the issues that the
OFVGA is working on, as well as
projects and initiatives the
organization is involved in.
Labour
Wrongful dismissal suit: Section
chair Ken Forth reported that the
wrongful dismissal lawsuit
against Tigchelaar Berry Farms
has been withdrawn. Three
Mexican seasonal workers at the
farm had claimed that they were
terminated without compliance
with worker protections under the
Canadian Bill of Rights and the
Canadian Charter of Rights and
Freedoms. Named in the claim
alongside the farm were the
federal government and Foreign
Agricultural Resources
Management Services (FARMS),
which manages the Seasonal
Agricultural Worker Program
(SAWP).
Advertising positions: Farmers
hiring workers through SAWP are
reminded they must advertise
their available positions to
Canadian workers as well. Fruit
and vegetable farmers are
encouraged to keep copies of any
ads they place in local papers, for
example, so they can provide this
proof if requested to do so by
Human Resources and Skills
Development Canada.
Growers recognized for service:
Ken Forth and Hector Delanghe
have each received the Badge of
Honour from Jamaica for their
long-standing commitment and
service to the Seasonal
Agricultural Worker Program.
Forth is the president of FARMS
and Delanghe is a former chair
and current board member of
FARMS. Presented by the
Governor General of Jamaica on
the advice of the country’s Prime
Minister, the award recognizes
people who, by their service and
contribution, have had a meaningful and significant impact on
national life. It is rarely awarded

to non-Jamaicans.
Canadian Horticultural Council
(CHC)
The CHC has put their Ottawa
office building up for sale and
will be moving into smaller
premises in 2014. The
organization has hired a research
and policy analyst, Andre
Bourbonniere, and will also be
hiring a communications and
committee coordinator to be in
place by the new year. The
organization’s membership fees
will be at the same rate in 2014 as
they were in 2013. These
developments are part of the
ongoing work by the CHC
oversight committee, chaired by
Adrian Huisman (Ontario), to
help the organization chart a new
path. Other committee members
include Bar Hayre (BC), David
Jeffries (Prairies), George Gilvesy
(Ontario), Jocelyn Ste-Denis
(Quebec) and Gary Linkletter
(Atlantic).
Crop protection
GROU: The legislation to
enshrine the Grower Requested
Own Use (GROU) is not final
yet. Some concerns were raised in
the spring about the program’s
limitations, including that only 15
products are reviewed per year
and product approvals for GROU
only last for two years. A request
to increase the approval time to
five years was denied but a
request to fast-track a product
renewal and have renewals not be
included in the 15-product
maximum is being considered.
Invasive species: The presence of
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug in
Ontario is growing. It is not yet
an issue with crops but is
expected to present significant
challenges for growers down the
road as it affects more than 300
different crops, including
soybeans and corn.
Harmonization: Crop protection
section representatives will be
meeting with Health Canada to
discuss full harmonization of the

crop protection processes between
Canada and the United States.
The goal for complete harmonization is to have the same label on
both sides of the border, which
follows the definition of harmonization adopted by both OFVGA
and CHC earlier this year.
Erie Innovation and
Commercialization
Erie Innovation and
Commercialization ceased
operations on October 31, 2013.
The initiative was launched as a
special project by the OFVGA to
help bring new opportunities to
farmers in the South Central
Ontario Region affected by the
decline of the tobacco industry.
Financial support for the project
was provided through the
Agricultural Adaptation Council
and by local municipalities, the
OFVGA, University of Guelph,
Vineland Research and
Innovation Centre and many other
farm and agricultural organizations, but long-term support for
core business operations for Erie
Innovations could not be secured.
The organization was instrumental in the creation of the Ontario
Hazelnut Association, the Ontario
Lavender Association and the

Ken Forth (L) and Hector Delanghe have each received the Badge of
Honour from Jamaica for their long-standing commitment and service
to the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program.
Ontario South Coast Wineries and
Growers’ Association, as well as
many other innovation and
commercialization projects during
its four and a half-year mandate.
OFVGA accepting award of
merit nominations till
November 30
OFVGA is accepting nominations
for its Industry Award of Merit,
presented yearly at the annual
general meeting in January. The
award is OFVGA’s way of
recognizing the outstanding
contribution made by an
individual or organization to

Ontario’s fruit and vegetable
industry. This recognition may
include strategic leadership,
technical input, and/or dedication.
Nominations are due November
30, 2013 to the OFVGA office.
Annual General Meeting
The 155th annual general meeting
of the OFVGA will be held
January 13 and 14, 2014 at the
Crowne Plaza Hotel in Niagara
Falls, Ontario. Registration and
hotel information, as well as the
event agenda, are available at
http://www.ofvga.org/events.php.

DECEMBER 2013 –– PAGE 7
THE GROWER

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

‘Fresh from the farm’ fundraiser scores high marks with schools

KAREN DAVIDSON
Schools are hungry for cash. So when a
fresh fundraising idea comes along that
involves messages about healthy eating and
local foods, it scores high marks. The Fresh
from the Farm, Healthy Fundraising for
Ontario Schools, pilot project proposed that
root vegetables and Empire apples be
delivered to schools and that students roll
up their sleeves to sort into saleable
bundles.
With the fall’s harvest delivered in
mid-November to southwestern Ontario
schools and the northern district of
Algoma, participating schools earned just
over $47,000 in revenue and growers
earned more than $68,000. Just as important, another $12,800 or 10 per cent went
to administration so that the program is
self-sustaining.
“We’re thrilled that we’ve had the
opportunity to increase the awareness of
healthy eating and the integration of the
related topics of agriculture and food into
the classroom,” says Cathy O’Connor, a
registered dietitian and project coordinator

who worked with the Ontario Fruit and
Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA)
and the Ontario ministries of education as
well as agriculture and food.
“This year’s pilot is on the mark if we
compare our numbers with the first year of
Manitoba’s program,” says Alison
Robertson, OFVGA. A total of 379 schools
were eligible to enroll, however only 70
schools participated.
“We were a little disappointed with the
enrolment number, however it is consistent
with results from the first year of the
Manitoba program where they had 66
schools participate prior to growing to
more than 400 in their third year of
operation,” says Robertson. “Looking to
the history of the Manitoba program, we
feel we are right on track in our pilot year.”
Manitoba’s program now moves more
than 900,000 pounds of produce and earns
$400,000 for schools says Larry McIntosh,
president and CEO, Peak of the Market.
A great idea can get bogged down in
execution, however professional partners
got this pilot off the ground. The EatRight
Ontario call centre fielded requests for
information from schools. Dietitians then

referred callers to curriculum-linked,
educational resources available from
Ontario Agri-Food Education and others. If
they wished, teachers could integrate the
fundraiser into learning in the classroom.
The pilot’s success is also attributed to
strong school champions and the fact that
students could earn volunteer hours by
sorting the produce into appropriate-sized
bundles. Credit also goes to Jack Streef of
Streef Produce and Shawn Farquhar,
Massey Wholesale, who delivered
high-quality produce in attractive
packaging. Consistent with the green
agenda, a compostable bag was sourced
from BioBag Canada to package the
produce.
Feedback from parents and students has
been so positive that a second fundraising
drive might be added next spring to include
greenhouse-grown cucumbers, tomatoes
and peppers. Another year might see the
addition of Ontario-grown sweet potatoes
and squash. That’s a huge displacement of
chocolate bars, once the mainstay of school
fundraisers.

Close to a deal for harmonized rules on potato cyst nematode
KAREN DAVIDSON
Only three areas in Canada are
positive for potato cyst nematode
(PCN): specific pockets on
Vancouver Island, in Quebec and
Newfoundland. Despite most
potato-growing areas being free
of PCN, the costs of testing and
monitoring are becoming onerous
for seed growers exporting to the
U.S. The value of Canadian seed
potato exports to the U.S. was
$28.8-million.
Negotiations with American
counterparts have been intense
this fall on how to harmonize regulations says Joe Brennan, chair
of the Canadian Potato Council,
Canadian Horticultural Council.
“I think there is a reasonable

chance of an agreement,” says
Brennan, a New Brunswick
potato grower. “There’s been a lot
of testing since 2008 which has
given a good baseline of information. Outside known infected
areas, no PCN has been found in
the 80 per cent of seed potato
acres tested. Our aim is to reduce
the amount of testing, but through
ongoing monitoring, keep an eye
on this pest.”
Potatoes are the only host of
this specific nematode, a microscopic worm that can exist for up
to 30 years in the soil patiently
waiting to hatch eggs in the
presence of a potato plant. No
pesticides or other measures exist
to eradicate this pest. If PCN is
confirmed, fields are quarantined
and restricted from growing a

Province
Alberta

2008
Canadian Dollars
1,209,612

2012
Quantity
3,420

Canadian Dollars
9,033,097

Quantity
21,431

British Columbia

3,021,387

9,376

2,599,415

5,390

Manitoba

1,357,795

4,528

1,455,624

4,069

New Brunswick

5,423,414

18,757

7,001,306

20,653

0

0

19,622

59

49,226

125

983,080

2,010

1,036,583

2,878

5,209,717

12,243

337,939

1,320

906,076

1,774

2,429,572

7,514

1,569,202

4,194

14,865,528

47,918

28,777,139

71,823

Nova Scotia
Ontario
PEI
Québec
Saskatchewan
National

Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
long list of crops, including sod.
Adjacent fields also come under
surveillance rules. The concern is
that soil not be moved off the

farm, through equipment or other
activities.
“Science has proven through
testing that we have the safest,

One microscopic worm
led to dumping of 7000
tonnes potatoes
The subject of potato cyst
nematode is painful to Ernie Van
Boom, owner of Northbank
Potato Farms Ltd, near
Edmonton, Alberta. With 540
acres of potatoes and considerable investment in irrigation, he
was devastated when a positive
diagnosis of PCN was made on
his farm in the fall of 2007. The
test results, conducted by the
Canadian Food Inspection
Agency (CFIA) effectively shut
down his seed business to loyal
customers in Florida and
California. He was forced to
dump 7,000 tonnes of freshly
harvested potatoes.
Subsequent to that finding, he
launched a legal case against
CFIA because he claims the test
was a false positive. To date, he
has maintained his silence except

for the April 2009 public record
of his testimony to the Standing
Committee on Agriculture and
AgriFood.
“It’s been almost a year and a
half since a single deteriorated
PCN egg sac was discovered
allegedly in one of our fields by
the CFIA,” Van Boom testified.
“After the completion of
intensive soil testing, involving
thousands and thousands of
samples, CFIA was unable to
replicate a positive reading.”
Van Boom was further
frustrated because using the
criteria set out by the American
regulator, his farm is not positive
for PCN. His case is still before
the courts. Canadian growers
have abided by a surveillance
plan and phytosanitary rules for
PCN since 2009.

Washington state rejects GM labeling
The Grocery Manufacturers
Association (GMA) recently
praised Washington state voters
for rejecting a proposal that
would have required labeling of
genetically modified food ingredients.
“We are pleased that the voters
of Washington state rejected I522 by a significant margin,” said
GMA president and CEO Pamela
G. Bailey. “I-522 was a complex
and costly proposal that would
have misled consumers, raised the
price of groceries for Washington
families and done nothing to

improve food safety.
“Genetically modified food
ingredients (GMOs) are safe,
good for the environment, reduce
the cost of food and help feed a
growing global population of
seven billion,” Bailey added.
“Because a 50-state patchwork of
GMO labeling laws would be
confusing and costly to consumers, GMA will advocate for a
federal solution that will protect
consumers by ensuring that the
FDA, the America's leading food
safety authority, sets national
standards for the safety and label-

ing of products made with GMO
ingredients. Our country's labeling laws have and should continue to be based on health, safety
and nutritional content.”
The campaign over Initiative
522 has been one of the costliest
initiative fights in state history,
according to published reports.
While early polling suggested
that voters favoured the measure,
TV and radio advertising financed
by GMA and five biotechnology
companies may have helped persuade Washington residents to
rethink their positions.

General Mills Inc., Coca-Cola Co.
and PepsiCo Inc.
Many of those companies
mounted a $46 million defense to
defeat a similar food-labeling
measure in California last year.

and Agri-Food will continue to be
responsible for non-food safety
agricultural activities, including
economic and trade issues, as
well as important animal health
and plant protection work. The
CFIA will continue to support the
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-

Food in exercising these responsibilities. The CFIA remains as a
separate agency under the leadership of the president of the CFIA
within the Health Portfolio and
will continue to carry out all of its
current responsibilities.

knowledge products on a national
and international scale. His
responsibilities will include the
research and development of
position and policy statements for
standing committees and assigned
commodity groups, as well as the

coordination of industry data collection and analysis for input to
various government consultations.
André may be reached at 613226-4880 (ext. 209) or at abourbonniere@hortcouncil.ca

CFIA joins health portfolio
Earlier this fall, it was
announced that the Canadian
Food Inspection Agency now
reports to the Minister of Health,
Rona Ambrose. This new reporting relationship supports the federal Safe Food for Canadians
Action Plan. Having the three

federal authorities responsible for
food safety - Health Canada
(HC), the Public Health Agency
of Canada (PHAC) and the CFIA
- reporting to one Minister, allows
for a clearer focus on consumer
safety.
Under the Minister of Health,

the important work of the CFIA,
HC and PHAC will not change.
The alignment of federal health
and safety authorities under one
minister will help ensure coordinated federal food safety action
and improved collaboration.
The Minister of Agriculture

Welcome new staff member
André Bourbonnière joins the
CHC as manager, policy development and research, bringing a
wealth of experience in business,
finance, municipal environmental
affairs and risk management.
Recently, he served as deputy

director of national programs with
the Federation of Canadian
Municipalities (FCM) with primary responsibility for the operations of the Green Municipal
Fund (GMF). He has been
accountable for business service

planning and support on behalf of
several organizations, including
developing and managing continuous sources of client and business references, case studies, and
market studies, including the
development and dissemination of

PAGE 10 –– DECEMBER 2013
THE GROWER

A step forward, two steps backward

RAY DUC
CHAIR, OFVGA
The good things that grow in
Ontario just got a major boost
with the passing of the Local
Food Act. This bill was first read
in the legislature in March 2013

and received royal assent on
November 6, 2013, a fairly quick
trip through the legislative
process, which can be onerous
and can take years. Thank you to
all members of the legislature for
getting this bill in place in a timely manner.
Over the next three years $30
million will be invested by the
province to create jobs and support innovation in the agri-food
sector. Currently the production
and processing of food in Ontario
employs 740,000 people and contributes $34 billion to the provincial economy. The new legislation
-- the first of its kind in Canada -will make more local food available in markets, restaurants,
schools and institutions. A
requirement was written into this

bill that states the government
will produce an annual report.
The report will highlight initiatives undertaken by government
and industry that help achieve
goals and growth targets set by
the agri-food sectors in partnership with government.
Local food awareness and education is another positive aspect
of this Act. The Government will
annually proclaim the first week
in June “Local Food Week.”
During this week local food will
be highlighted in all media across
the province. Awareness of local
food will be enhanced through the
distribution of literature, maps
and schedules of local events.
The Local Food Act will also
ensure that locally produced food
does not go to waste. Farmers

who have produce in excess of
their markets can now donate that
produce to food banks and
receive a tax credit equal to 25
per cent of the wholesale value of
the foods donated. This is a winwin for the 400,000 people who
use food banks in Ontario and
will benefit producers who will
receive some return for their surplus crops.
There is not any single component of this bill that will propel
the agri-food industry into rapid
growth but is definitely another
step in the right direction. The
fact remains that price is the
largest factor in the minds of consumers when making food-purchasing decisions. However, I do
believe that if we take enough of
these small steps forward we will

see the broader benefits of buying
local and not rely on imports for
one of our most basic needs,
food.
Between writing this column
and submitting it some sad news
came out of Leamington Ontario.
The Heinz tomato plant will close
next summer after 100 years of
processing locally grown tomatoes. This closure is the latest on
a long list of plant closures in
Ontario. Heinz leaving
Leamington highlights the need
for action by the government. If
the bleeding is not stopped there
will be no locally grown, locally
processed food for the consumer
to purchase. One step forward,
two steps backward!

Will horticulture be priced out of business?

ART SMITH
CEO, OFVGA
Over the past couple of
months the advisory panel on
minimum wage has been touring
Ontario and listening to presentations from concerned citizens
regarding Ontario’s minimum
wage. They have heard both
extremes from folks advocating
for $14 to $15 an hour right
through to the position that
Ontario should not have a minimum wage at all. These positions
are not surprising and they show
just how diverse the thoughts are

on the issue.
We also made a presentation
to the panel as did a number of
other agricultural organizations
all of whom spoke about the disproportionate hit that agriculture
would take if there is to be a significant increase in the minimum
wage rate.
The purpose of the panel is to
make recommendations to the
government on a mechanism or
process for increasing the minimum wage rate in the future.
With that in mind and even
though many of our members
cannot afford any wage increase,
a statement from us saying no
increase would have been futile.
Instead we showed how the sector
had not recovered from the last
round of increases that took the
wage rate up over 28 per cent
and we showed how the current
rate has surpassed inflation.
We explained that we are price
takers in this sector and that there
is no mechanism to claw back
these additional expenses from
the marketplace.
For many in our society they

simply cannot grasp that concept.
What do you mean you can’t
get your costs back? How can
you stay in business? For others
it’s ‘if you are an employer you
can afford it.’
Horticulture has always been a
price taker but we didn’t always
compete against product from foreign countries laid in here below
our cost of production.
Wholesalers and retailers alike
have always wanted the best deal
but they also needed to keep you,
the farmer, in business because
they needed you next week and
next year. That has all changed
with global trade and if we were
not here, their shelves would still
be full.
One of the questions that came
out from the panel was with
regards to the Seasonal
Agricultural Worker Program
(SAWP) and how it is affected by
minimum wage increases in
Ontario. When we attempted to
explain, we were told by one of
the panelists that we were wrong
and that the SAWP was exempt.
Fortunately the deputy Minister

of Labour was in the room and
she cleared up that issue when
she explained the policy of
Human Resources and Skills
Development Canada in Ottawa is
that the rate paid to offshore
workers is the greater of the prevailing rate or the minimum wage
of the province.
This was a critical moment as
it clarified and tied the two programs together. So very clearly
the myth that minimum wage
increases in Ontario would have
little impact on our sector has
been straightened out.
Wage increases are inevitable
but it will be how they are determined that will make all the difference to horticulture producers
in the future. We made it clear
that it is the big hikes in minimum wage rate like those experienced in 2008, 2009 and then
again in 2010 that have the most
devastating impact on the sector.
We just cannot recover those
costs. While the consumer may
expect some price increases they
rebel when those increases are too
great.

As mentioned above, the purpose of the panel is to make a
recommendation to the government as to process and not spell
out a figure for minimum wage.
Nonetheless, the government is
going to make some decisions.
There are those calling for huge
increases and those that simply
cannot afford any increase. With
a spring budget and the possibility of an election just around the
corner, the action taken by the
government may very well come
out somewhere in the middle.
This would be devastating to our
sector.
Our ask is that the process
taken in the future be based on
the consumer price index (CPI)
but should the government decide
that there needs to be a significant
increase in the minimum wage
rate then we ask that a separate
rate for agriculture be established;
one that recognises the realities of
our sector, one that simply follows inflation or CPI.
For what it’s worth, it’s the
way I see it.

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Client signature is required before insertion.
The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association is the
sole owner of The Grower. All editorials and opinions expressed
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contributor, and do not necessarily reflect the view of the association.
All rights reserved. The contents of this publication
may not be reproduced either whole or in part without the
prior written consent of the publisher.
P.M. 40012319

The Grower is printed 12 times a year and sent to all
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Others may subscribe as follows by writing to the office:

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Subscribers must submit a claim for missing issues within
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not available, The Grower will extend the subscription by
one month. No refunds on subscriptions.

PERSPECTIVE
How about engaging farmers in the battle against food waste?

OWEN ROBERTS
UNIVERSITY OF
GUELPH
I wrote a story about
University of Guelph researchers
feeding pigs waste chocolate
once…or perhaps I should say
“once upon a time,” it was so
long ago – back in 1988. Then,
feeding waste seemed like a novelty, and pigging out on chocolate
bars that had broke during
processing (and were therefore
deemed waste) certainly captured
the public’s imagination: although
we haven’t traditionally measured
precise numbers at the university
when it comes to media uptake,
I’m sure the chocolate-for-pigs
piece ranks among the all-time
leaders.
Despite the seeming frivolity
of the topic, though, the research
had a serious side – it was
designed to show an example of
how food waste doesn’t have to
end up in the landfill, and how,
through research, new uses can be
found for what we might otherwise be considered garbage.
Some 25 years later, that
message has yet to resonate with
our disposable society. However,
the chickens are coming home to
roost.
In some circles, food waste is
now being called the number one
issue in the food business. It’s

described as a major stumbling
block in the drive to feed the
world. According to this line of
thinking, we simply cannot bring
enough new food into production
to meet future needs, so let’s
more efficiently use what we
have, and stop wasting it.
That’s a noble pursuit. I’m not
sure everyone buys it, but overall,
who can argue with any effort to
stop wasting food, especially with
a billion people hungry on the
planet?
Reducing food waste hits
closer to home when you embrace
some of the domestic statistics.
For example, Canadians throw
out boatloads of good food -- $27
billion a year, in fact – with fresh
fruit and vegetables topping the
list at more than 120 kg wasted
per person per year. It’s eye
opening, if not mind boggling, to
realize that the equivalent of 40
per cent of everything Canadian
farmers produce is estimated as
ending up as waste.
And indeed, that’s local food
that’s hitting the scrap heap. Half
of everything wasted comes from
the kitchen – we buy it, and then
don’t use it because we don’t
know how to, we don’t like the
look of it, we bought too much,
we are concerned about the bestbefore date, or life gets in the way
of good intentions and wellplanned meals, and we simply
don’t get around to eating it.
Food waste has crept into agricultural circles, and rightly so. The
causes of food waste, many of
which are complex, cut into
farmers’ profits too.
The Oakville-based Value
Chain Management Centre held
its second annual food waste
forum in Mississauga last month,
where speaker after speaker
underlined the need for change.
They agreed overall that more
new and imaginative approaches

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Re:
Remembrance
Day 2013
This being Nov. 11th we felt that today was the day
to comment on Craig Hunter’s comments.
Thank you. Thank you many times over.
Having a Grandfather who fought in both the Boer War and WW I
and a father [never joining the Legion] who was in WW II and a POW
in Italy we understand only too well. They and so many others have
provided us the freedom and life that we enjoy today.
You are so right – Let none of us forget – ever.
Let us also remember to help remind those who seem to know so
little about the sacrifices made.
“The O’Briens”
Priceville [West Grey] ON

to not wasting food will require a
culture shift, and not just by
consumers and manufacturers.
For example, keynote speaker
Peter Whitehead, formerly of the
UK’s Food Chain Centre, noted
agriculture is generally
disconnected from the anti-food
waste movement. For one reason,
students are not trained in
agricultural schools to be
sensitive to it, he said.
Having agriculture students
and farmers involved in antiwaste campaigns could change
things. The public trusts and feels
compassion for farmers.
It’s one thing for a business
leader to say waste less because it
cuts into corporate profits.
But it’s another for a farmer to
say waste less because you’re
throwing away nearly half of the
food I grew for you with my own
two hands.
That has some emotional
cache.

PAGE 12 –– DECEMBER 2013
THE GROWER

Weather monitoring program,
pesticide survey, on environmental
agenda
KELLY DAYNARD
Seeking weather observers:
Community Collaborative Rain,
Hail and Snow Program
Are you a weather enthusiast?
Do you keep regular rainfall
records? There is a new weather

network for you!
Farm & Food Care Ontario is
supporting the launch of the
Community Collaborative Rain,
Hail and Snow (CoCoRaHS)
program in Ontario. CoCoRaHS
operates through a network of
volunteer observers who take
daily readings and enter them
through the program website,

www.cocorahs.org/canada.
CoCoRaHS began in Colorado
in the late 1990s and came to
Manitoba in 2011, Saskatchewan
this past spring and a pilot project
is also underway in the Atlantic
provinces. The program is now up
and running in Ontario and looking for observers.
Along with their training,
CoCoRaHS observers use a
monitoring kit which includes an
official CoCoRaHS rain gauge
with a spare measuring cylinder, a
heavy duty snow measuring stick
and a snow paddle. Each day they
input their measurements through
the website, which are then
available to the general public
through an interactive map.
“Data from CoCoRaHS is used
by flood forecasters, meteorologists, farmers, schools, gardeners,
engineers, insect control, and
many more,” said CoCoRaHS
Canada’s Karla Jackson, Ontario
volunteer coordinator. “Often
CoCoRaHS fills in many of the
gaps that exist between automated
stations, gaining a better
indication of localized
precipitation events.”
In the U.S., the National
Weather Service, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, U.S. Department
of Agriculture and National
Science Foundation are all
supporters and/or users. Canadian
groups include Environment
Canada, Agriculture and AgriFood Canada, Farm & Food Care
Foundation, Manitoba
Infrastructure & Technology, the
Saskatchewan Water Security
Agency and many local
watershed management bureaus.

A CoCoRaHS rain gauge
Farm & Food Care would like
to encourage new observers in
Ontario. Anyone interested in
signing up or learning more can
send an email to
ONcocorahs@weatherinnovations.com,
bruce@farmfoodcare.org, call
519-352-5334, or apply directly
through the website at
www.cocorahs.org/canada.
Ontario Pesticide Use Survey

The 2013 Ontario pesticide use
survey will commence December
5. All Ontario field crop,
vegetable, fruit and specialty crop
farmers are asked to fill out a
confidential survey of Pesticide
Use for the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and the Ministry of
Rural Affairs. This year, the
survey is being conducted by
Farm & Food Care Ontario.
OMAF/MRA and commodity
boards, and researchers use the
information to help improve
minor use pesticide registration
lists, work toward safer use of
pesticides and to understand
trends in use and the types of
pesticides used. The survey will
track all field and horticulture
crops and the pesticides used,
acres applied and also acres
where no pesticides are used.
The survey is anonymous and
only a respondent’s county/district information will be collected
to help determine pesticide usage
in different parts of the province.
The survey will be available
online at
ontariopesticidesurvey.ca. Farm
& Food Care will also accept
mail-in, fax or email returns of
the survey. Data collection will
continue until February 15, 2014.
For more information, contact
Environmental Coordinator Bruce
Kelly at Farm & Food Care:
bruce@farmfoodcare.org or 519837-1326, extension 292.
Kelly Daynard is
Communications Manager, Farm
& Food Care

DECEMBER 2013 –– PAGE 13
THE GROWER

RETAIL NAVIGATOR

Loblaw Companies still have the highest sales

PETER CHAPMAN
Our Canadian food business is
worth approximately $90 billion
per year and Loblaw Companies
continue to deliver the highest
annual sales. The dominant
position enjoyed by Loblaw in the
‘90s has been eroded with
industry consolidation and the
entrance of competitors from the
U.S., such as Walmart and
Costco. One of the challenges
when you are #1 is that all of the
competition can get motivated to
catch you. It is easier to get there
than it is to stay there.
Loblaw employs a multiformat strategy to compete in the
different regions of Canada. Each
store format appeals to different
consumers, however it does make
it a very complicated business.
The following table illustrates the
different banners that make up
Loblaw.
There are other banners, such
as the Wholesale Club, liquor
stores in the west, gas stations
and, of course, the recent addition
of Shoppers Drug Mart. This is a
huge business that has been built
with internal growth and
acquisitions.
Loblaw has been through a
number of leadership changes in
recent years. Each change has
altered the direction of the
business, which has made the
company even more challenging
to understand and work with.
Some employees might find it
difficult to articulate the current
focus within the business.
Since 2008 Loblaw has
employed a centralized structure
with the majority of merchandising and procurement functions in
Ontario. This led to a loss of
sensitivity to the differences
between the regions of Canada.
Obviously a significant cost savings, however, a cost in terms of
execution at store level. In recent
years they have invested more
staff in the regions.
Here are my top 10
considerations when developing
relationships with Loblaw:
1. Consider the different formats when you are developing
products and programs. Your
items will not be right for all
stores so you must target the
correct formats.
2. Loblaw is split into two
divisions for merchandising and
operations. One is discount,
which includes No Frills, Real
Canadian Superstore and Maxi.

These stores are designed to
compete with Walmart
Supercentre, Costco and the other
discount banners. The conventional division operates the
traditional food stores (corporate
and franchised), such as Loblaw,
Zehrs, Your Independent Grocer,
Atlantic Superstore, Provigo and
Save Easy. Often you will have to
work with merchandisers in the
two divisions and they even compete with each other at times.
3. Control label products are
very important to Loblaw.
President’s Choice is a loyalty
program and No Name products
are important for sales and
margin. Respect the company’s
commitment to these products
and explore their offerings in
your categories.
4. The company is going
through a massive conversion to
the SAP system. Many people in
the organization are focused on
this and they are spending
millions of dollars every year to
make it happen. Understand they
are preoccupied with it and that
there will be disruptions in ordering and other functions. If you are
a current supplier, help them
where you can and let them know
if you see strange things caused
by the conversion.
5. Decision making is centralized so you have to be prepared
to travel to Ontario. There is
some regional merchandising,
however most of the resources are
in the Brampton office (or
Cambridge for produce).
6. Loblaw changes employees
from one category to another

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Your Independent
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often. Take it as an opportunity to
educate a new person about your
business. It is tough at times to
keep continuity.
7. Communication can be a
challenge. The merchants have
large categories and they are
managing the entire country with
several banners. Find the most
effective method and don’t abuse
their time.
8. Buyers are a part of the
supply chain division. They are
responsible for inventory in and
out of the distribution centers and
they do not determine who to buy
from, just how much.
Merchandisers are the people who
determine who to buy from. You
need to develop relationships with
both but make sure you negotiate
with the category managers and
fill the orders of the buyers.
Produce is slightly unique where
there are category managers for
procurement and merchandising.
Suppliers work with the
procurement category managers.
9. One of the benefits of a
national retailer is that there
are opportunities outside the
regions. If your item sells well,
you have opportunities to grow.
10. Loblaw is the retailer who

has invested most
in learning about
global foods and
the new
Canadian food
shopper. The
purchase of T&T
stores has given
them great learning and also
opportunities for
suppliers who
have items for
these consumers.
Food-retailing capacity growth
in Canada reached “critical mass”
during the third quarter, triggering
aggressive price investment and a
subsequent dip in profits at
Loblaw, officials said
Wednesday.
Galen Weston, Loblaw’s executive chairman, acknowledged
that not all of Loblaw’s price
adjustments during the period
resulted in increased volume. The
effects of this miscalculation and
expected margin pressure during
the current fourth quarter
prompted officials to say the
retailer would not meet expected
operating income targets for the
fiscal year.
“When we raised our outlook

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in Q2 we foresaw a competitive
back half. However, the actual
intensity we experienced in Q3
was greater than we projected and
caused actual performance to be
below our expectations,” Sarah R.
Davis, Loblaw’s chief financial
officer, said in a conference call.
For the quarter, which ended
Oct. 5, Loblaw reported sales of
$9.6 billion (U.S.), a 1.9%
increase, and non-fuel comparable
store sales growth of 0.1%. Gross
profits were flat compared with
the same period last year, while
operating income fell by 8.3%
and net earnings tumbled by 29%
to $147 million (U.S.).
Financials sourced from
Supermarketnews.com

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Encouraging results for the edible tropical tuber
to replace imports
KAREN DAVIDSON
Two statistics are driving sweet potato
research. Canada imports $42 million of
the antioxidant-rich tubers from the southern United States every year, and in the last
five years, Canadians have doubled their
intake to 1.5 kilograms annually.
“We have a good opportunity to expand
the 1,300 acres currently grown in
Ontario,” says Valerio Primomo, vegetable
breeder at Vineland Research and
Innovation Centre (Vineland). “If we had
better adapted varieties, for example coldtolerant and early maturing varieties, we
could expand production to 7,000 acres and
replace the imports.”
Primomo is heading a three-year project
to identify varieties that will survive and
thrive in the short-season, cooler climate of
Ontario. In an agreement with Louisiana
State University, he tested three crossing

populations consisting of 500 new
seedlings in 2012 and 85 were selected for
planting at Vineland last May. Two have
survived the early May planting. The next
step is to evaluate not only yields but shape
and size. Primomo says it may be possible
to cross these lines with Beauregard, a
variety that’s a staple in Ontario.
Sweet potatoes have also piqued the
interest of French fry maker McCains, soup
maker Campbell’s, as well as fresh-cut
processor Pride Pak. Together, these valueadd processors face a similar challenge:
browning. Just like apples, sweet potatoes
oxidize quickly once they are cut. Due to
the high reducing sugar content (i.e. maltose, glucose and fructose), sweet potatoes
also tend to brown when fried.
To suit the processing sector,
researchers will need to identify varieties
with higher dry matter content as well as
lower levels of reducing sugars and phenolic acid. With funding assistance from the

Canada Agricultural Adaptation Program
and in-kind support from the Ontario Fruit
and Vegetable Growers’ Association,
research will continue with trial expansions
in 2014. Next year, the focus will involve

growers in the field. The hope is to narrow
the field for varieties that fit the fresh and
processed markets.

5th Annual Hazelnut Symposium slated for March 2014

The Ontario Hazelnut Association
(OHA) has announced that the
the 5th Annual Ontario Hazelnut
Symposium is to be held in
Brantford, March 25, 2014. The
symposium will also feature the
2nd Annual Ontario Hazelnut
Association Annual General
Meeting. Anticipated expansion
of the commercial hazelnut

business in the province, which
eventually will result in a new,
multi-million dollar sector for
agribusiness, is the key priority
for the OHA and this meeting
will address concerns and
opportunities for growers.
Specifically, this symposium
will address sourcing and planting
of hazelnut trees, the

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opportunities in different regions,
market size and development,
costs of production, potential
incentive programs, and agreements with partners in the sector.
The objective is to identify new
growing opportunities and set
farmers up with the most
accurate, direct information
possible so that decisions to plant
hundreds of acresin 2014 can
occur.
“This symposium will be the
catalyst for growers to commit
land to hazelnut orchard development”, says Martin Hodgson, a
hazelnut grower and OHA chair.

“In addition, the board encourages growers to get involved with
association affairs, which will
lead to success across the
province as we launch this new
agri-business venture.”
“With the signature of the
three year Memorandum of
Understanding with Ferrero,
growers can have confidence that
the market for hazelnuts is
secure and that Ferrero is
committed to Ontario production
for the long term” says John
Kelly, OHA director. “This
symposium will provide growers
detailed information on the

aspects of that MOU.”
Sourcing of trees for growers
will be addressed at this symposium. “Nurseries are ready and
able to provide trees to growers,”
says Rob Haynes, OHA
vice-chair. “Through our globally
leading propagation systems, we
have the ability to supply our
growers and details of the supply
will be provided at the
symposium.”
Symposium presentations and
further information will be
available for members at
www.ontariohazelnuts.com.

DECEMBER 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PAGE 15
THE GROWER

ALTERNATIVE CROPS

Contest attracts a big crop of photos

Lavender on Occasion - â&#x20AC;&#x153;Harvestâ&#x20AC;?
First Place â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Margaret Collins

Best in Show - â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lavender Makes me Smileâ&#x20AC;?
Photographer: Ian Baird
Lavender naturally brings a twinkle to the eye.
Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been proven in spades in this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inaugural photo contest sponsored by the Ontario Lavender
Association. What better way to promote lavender, a
relatively new crop to Ontario.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had a very good turn out receiving 52
photos of lavender and lavender products,â&#x20AC;? says
Martha Loewen, public relations officer.
Both amateur and professional photographers
were encouraged to submit photos under the
following five categories:
â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lavender fieldsâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; includes photographs taken of
fields and lavender layouts
â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lavender in the gardenâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; includes container and
garden arrangements using lavender plants

â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lavender and friendsâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; includes photos of
lavender with people, animals or insects
â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lavender on occasionâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; photos include lavender
used during different occasions throughout
the year, eg. Christmas displays, wedding
arrangements, lavender themed events
â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;&#x153;The many uses of lavenderâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; photos would
include any uses of lavender once removed from
plant. E.g. culinary uses, product displays, or any
abstract or unusual uses for lavender and its
scents.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our goal is to produce a 16-month, 2014-2015
calendar which would feature some of the photos
received. We are also going to be running this
contest next year.â&#x20AC;?

Learnings from lavender trials
SEAN WESTERVELD
Thanks to two growers -Weirâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lane Lavender and
Bonnieheath Lavender â&#x20AC;&#x201C; more is
known about how to propagate
the right cultivars of lavender
under Ontario conditions.
We examined the success of
propagation of different cultivars
of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and lavandin (L. x
intermedia) at different times of
year (eg. pre-bloom, post-bloom,
fall). We also examined different
rooting media (peat/perlite,
peat/perlite/turface, and oasis
foam) and different rooting hormone (none, and hormone for
vegetative cuttings and semihardwood cuttings).
The results are still preliminary
but we have found certain cultivars do best at certain times of
year. The lavandin cultivars are
easier to propagate with success
at most times of year, while some
of the L. angustifolia cultivars
such as Hidcote and Royal Velvet
are difficult to propagate and have
the most success when the stems
are very vegetative.
Results with rooting hormone
are inconclusive so far, but our
experience shows it is beneficial
for semi-hardwood cuttings. We
have had the most success with a
peat/perlite blend. However, we
had difficulty determining the
water requirements of oasis foam,
and it may be more beneficial if
the timing of watering can be per-

fected.
Although not tested in research
trials, our experiences to date
show the importance of bottom
heat to accelerate rooting and a
humid but not wet environment to
prevent drying of the leaves while
not encouraging disease. Misting
is beneficial in the spring when
the greenhouse is hot and sunny,
but can cause rot in the fall when
it is cooler and more humid.
Also of note is the difficulty in
collecting cuttings from some cultivars when they are older than
three years. The plants become
very woody with minimal new
growth. It is hard to get a decent
length of vegetative growth from
these. One cultivar, Folgate, has
shown a lot of promise for
Ontario, but we have had issues
getting cuttings from this cultivar
as the mother plants mature.
Growers wanting to propagate
these cultivars should probably
replant mother plants every few
years to ensure they produce
plenty of new growth.
More results will be available
next winter after the results are
fully analysed. These trials were
funded through a Canadian
Agricultural Adaptation Program
grant administered by the
Agricultural Adaptation Council
and held by the Ontario Lavender
Association. It was a collaborative effort between the University
of Guelph (Cathy Bakker) and
OMAF and MRA.
Sean Westerveld is ginseng
and medicinal herbs specialist for

the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food.

Anita Buehner and Jan Schooley did their part in promoting lavender
at last monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, pictured here beside a
large panel of photos sourced from The Grower. Photo by Janet
Whitney.

The quest for sustainability
CLAUDIA SCHMIDT
The sustainable sourcing of
agricultural products is becoming
important for food retailers and
manufacturers. For example,
Unilever intends to source 50 per
cent of its agricultural inputs
sustainably by 2015, and 100 per
cent by 2020; McCain requires its
Canadian potato producers to
have an Environmental Farm Plan
(EFP); and fruit and vegetable
growers who deliver to Tesco in
the U.K. need to be certified by
Tescoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nurture program.
Sustainability programs are being
used by food and beverage
manufacturers and retailers as a
competitive advantage, source of
differentiation, and as a tool to
improve business efficiencies.
With these trends in mind, the
Ontario Fruit and Vegetable
Growersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association commissioned the George Morris Centre
to conduct a study of trends in
sustainability certification in
horticultural products, and how
Ontario growers could most effectively engage them. As part of the
study, existing sustainability initiatives were reviewed, and a
range of industry stakeholders
were consulted.
The European agri-food sector

The Wine Council and Grape Growers of Ontario are about to launch a sustainability certification program. Access to water will be one element as is pictured here on the Beamsville Bench with a vineyard in
the background.
is commonly viewed as a market
leader when it comes to
sustainability. As such, we looked
specifically at horticultural
sustainability initiatives in the
U.K. and Germany, with a special
focus on certification. The LEAF
(Linking Environment and
Farming) Marque in the U.K. is a
whole farm certification program
that is based on a questionnaire

self-assessment, which is audited
for certification. Fruit and
vegetable growers delivering to
U.K. food retailer Waitrose must
be LEAF Marque certified. LEAF
has attempted to address a key
overarching question that
producers raise: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;what is in it for
meâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;? Based on a 2012 agreement
between ADM Direct, Unilever
and LEAF, LEAF members are

being offered an additional ÂŁ15/t
for standard oilseed rape for five
years.
In Germany, three whole farm
sustainability certification
schemes are in place.
Sustainability indicators are at the
core of two of the certifications.
However, the uptake of and
demand for agricultural
sustainability certification

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systems is quite low. It appears
that currently German farmers
participate in sustainability
certification more out of
conviction than from seeing a true
market demand for it. The
German Farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Union released
a statement in June, 2013, rejecting additional sustainability
certifications and stating that
good agricultural practices and
cross compliance are sufficient
for sustainable production.
Canadian sustainability
initiatives have thus far been
voluntary responses to marketplace demands or proactive
anticipation of future market
demands. The first â&#x20AC;&#x153;Made in
Ontarioâ&#x20AC;? sustainability certification program at the producer level
is an initiative by the Wine
Council (WCO) and the Grape
Growers of Ontario (GGO). It is a
response to requests that wineries
have received in recent years for
sustainably produced wine. The
WCO together with the GGO are
currently in the process of
finalizing a sustainability
certification program combining
Sustainable Winemaking Ontario
with a viticulture component,
which is based on a scoring
system.
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

The quest for sustainability
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16
Growers and wineries have the option to
indicate if they would like to have an audit
conducted by an independent third party
for certification. The program is expected
to be launched in November 2013.
According to Heather Gale, executive
director of CanadaGAP, CanadaGAP has
received some questions regarding additional sustainability certification, but no
definite market pull has been identified yet.
However, sustainability requests are
appearing in a similar pattern to food safety requests about 15 years ago. So far, for
most buyers, sustainability issues are still
in the realm of “nice to have” instead of
“must have.” As long as there is no widespread request from program users and
their customers to include environmental,
social and economic sustainability issues
into CanadaGAP, it will remain, for now,
focused on food safety.
Discussions with growers revealed a
mixed view toward sustainability initiatives. While some growers are frustrated
with ever changing demands and costs of
sustainability certifications, some do not
face any of these demands.
Challenges of certification relate to costs of
auditing fees and operating costs for record
keeping in addition to a lack of qualified
auditors. While there is much discussion
about sustainability and the three pillars -environmental, social and economic --

This field of early-seeded onions is protected two ways: by a cover crop of barley and
with irrigation pipe ready to be assembled when rainfall fails. Photo by Glenn Lowson.
there is still a lot of confusion surrounding
what exactly these mean and how they can
be addressed jointly.
If relatively few producers are equipped
to provide sustainability certification, supplier relationships will need to be managed
much more like strategic alliances than
simple purchasing agreements. Unless producers are engaged effectively, sustainability initiatives promoted by processors and
retailers could end up being a new market
access barrier to farmers, which in turn
could create social liabilities for processors
and retailers, and ultimately limit the avail-

ability of sustainably
produced product. However, the sustainability issue shouldn’t be seen solely as a
new cost burden. It is also a chance for the
industry to convey a positive message.
While many processors and retailers
argue that sustainability should be viewed
as a competition-free space, we are not
quite there yet. As retailers and
manufacturers are still in the early phase
when it comes to sustainability, issues seen
as the “low hanging fruit” are targeted first
and these are used as competitive advantage. However, sustainability affects all

players along the food supply chain, and
collaboration is a key for successful
harmonization and improved
sustainability outcomes across the sector.
Ontario’s horticultural sector can provide a unique case for a pilot project in
sustainability, as it is the leading Canadian
province in fruit and vegetable production.
The main concerns of producers are compliance costs and the
possibility that customers will escalate
demands for sustainability attributes. The
principal means of mitigating compliance
costs could be to build upon existing platforms that producers have already incorporated. These may exist in the form of the
EFP and CanadaGAP. The implementation
of a sustainability certification program
needs to be a long-term win-win situation
for all parties involved, including a simplified means of record keeping and
harmonization of schemes and initiatives.
Investment in this project was provided
by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
through the Canadian Agricultural
Adaptation Program (CAAP). In Ontario,
this program is delivered by the
Agricultural Adaptation Council.
Claudia Schmidt is a senior research
associate at the George Morris Centre.
Editor’s note: The complete report,
Evaluation of Agri-Food Sustainability
Certification Systems, is posted at
www.ofvga.org

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They soon realized how many
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PAGE 18 –– DECEMBER 2013
THE GROWER

The root value of cover crops
ANNE VERHALLEN, SOIL
MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST
(HORT), ONTARIO MINISTRY
OF AGRICULTURE AND
FOOD AND ONTARIO
MINISTRY OF RURAL
AFFAIRS.
There has been a lot of interest
this past year in cover crops, particularly as a source of livestock
feed or pasture. However this
tends to raise some questions
about what you are sacrificing
from the soil improvements value
of the cover crop by removing
most of the top growth.
It's somewhat telling that Dan
Towery, a well- known cover
crop researcher and promoter in
the United States said at the
Cover Crop meeting in Altoona
Iowa, “below ground cover crop
growth may be more important
than above ground.” Well in my
opinion, there is no “may” about
it. While the above ground
growth - the leaves and stems are

critical for erosion protection. The
roots are probably more important
for all the benefits that we see
from cover crops.
Cover crop roots help to build
soil structure. The roots themselves release exudates - complex
carbohydrates - sugars and other
compounds. These materials act
like glue - binding soil particles
together. The rhizosphere or the
root zone is the hotbed of microbial activity. The sugars feed and
support the soil life, which in turn
further builds soil structure.
Now lets take a closer look at
those roots. Not surprisingly,
cover crop roots are really quite
different from the cover crop top
growth. We often talk about the
carbon to nitrogen ratios of the
cover crop top growth in regards
to whether the cover crop will tie
up nitrogen or easily cycle nitrogen. Generally carbon to nitrogen
ratios that are around 25:1 basically between 20 and 30 to one or
below will cycle nitrogen relatively well. We see these ratios

with young growing grasses like
wheat and rye, but as the grass
matures it lays down more carbon
and more longer lasting materials
like lignin, the carbon to nitrogen
ratio expands to 60 to one.
Breaking down cereal straw will
tie up nitrogen.
Back to the roots though - the
carbon to nitrogen ratios on cover
crops are wider than the top
growth. Makes sense - the roots
are usually a storage organ for the
plant - so more complex carbon
molecules are laid down. The carbon to nitrogen ratio of roots does
not change with depth in the soil.
It varies more with the crop and
the crop growth stage. Generally,
if the cover crops are immature
and lush in their growth, the carbon to nitrogen ratio will be well
within the 25:1 and nutrients will
be readily cycled. However as the
cover crop matures, this changes
and the differences between
species become more apparent.
For example brassicas such as
oilseed radish and canola and

Figure 1. Excellent soil structure even in an intense vegetable based
crop rotation - after eight years of cover cropping every year.
grasses such as wheat or rye can
be as high as 40 to 45 to one. In
contrast legumes like peas are
below 20 to one.
So what does that really mean?
It means that the brassica and
grass roots do not break down as
readily and it helps to explain
field observations. Why do pea
roots seem to disappear quickly?
Why don't we give a nitrogen
credit to pea cover crops? The pea
cover crop breaks down quickly
and releases the nitrogen too early
in the season to mesh well with a
corn crop. This also supports the

concept of mixing cover crop
species to create a better overall
cover for the field - use the grass
and brassica but add in a legume
to help feed the system.
And the bottom line for cover
crops? If you have a need for feed
or an opportunity to sell your
cover crop for feed or pasturing it is not a total loss. The cover
crop roots will still be there and
they are more important than the
top growth for building and maintaining soil structure.

Disease innoculum, the gift that keeps on giving
ELAINE RODDY,
VEGETABLE CROP SPECIALIST
ONTARIO MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND
FOOD, ONTARIO MINISTRY OF RURAL AFFAIRS.
Some years the weather patterns just work against us.
Cool temperatures, intermittent rains and prolonged, heavy
dews spell paradise for many crop diseases. Under these
conditions, many vegetable crops are impacted by diseases
such as mildew, scab, fusarium, anthracnose, phytophthora, etc…, despite a well-managed crop and the timely use
of fungicides.
What type of impact do this year’s diseases have on
next year’s crop? In part, it will depend on the weather we
get next year. However, rotation is also an important
factor.
I came across one source that suggests for every ton of
fusarium-infected pumpkins left in the field, 200 lbs of
innoculum remain in the soil for the following year!
For most soil-borne diseases, a crop rotation of three to
four years is recommended. It is important to stay away
from all related crops during the rotation. In addition,
there are other key crops that should not be grown in the
same rotation.
For example, cucumbers and peppers are both

Quality Seed

Spores from these phytophthora-infected plants will persist in the field for five-10 years.
susceptible to phytophthora. Once established in a field,
this disease is extremely difficult to manage. In 2013 we
saw a drastic increase in the reports of phytophtora. This
disease has had a tremendous impact on cucurbit crop

Quality Service

production in many mid-western states. At this time, there
are no fungicide programs that will effectively control this
disease. A long rotation away from both vine crops and
peppers will help prevent the development of phytophthora
problems in Ontario.
Here are some tried-and-true ways to avoid crop
diseases:
• know your pathogen. When facing harvest losses, take
the time to have the problem properly identified
• where available, select resistant varieties
• use treated seed, especially for the common root diseases
such as pythium and rhizoctonia. Not all seed treatments
protect against the full range of soil-borne diseases. This is
where it is important to know your pathogen when
selecting a product.
• reduce wind damage with windbreaks or wind strips.
Diseases often enter the plant through existing wounds.
• avoid compaction, plants with poor root growth and low
vigour are more susceptible to infection.
• facilitate drainage: standing water is a plants worst
nightmare
• maintain optimum fertility
levels to ensure vigorous, healthy plants. And finally,
• aim for thorough fungicide
coverage: high water volumes and medium-sized droplets
allow the spray to penetrate deeper into the crop canopy.

Quality Information
~ Quality Seed Since 1881 ~

Henry Zomer
(ON/MB/SK)
905-308-4396

Jim Robinson
(ON/MB)
905-715-8595

Rob Hovius
(ON/PEI/NB)
519-580-3231

Paul Banks
(ON/NS)
905-688-4300

Leah Erickson
(BC/AB)
604-957-2359

Marc André
Laberge (QC)
514-984-4589

Laura
Caralampides (QC)
514-984-0662

www.StokeSeeds.com
s &AX
3TOKES 3EEDS ,TD 0/ "OX 4HOROLD /. ,6 %

DECEMBER 2013 –– PAGE 19
THE GROWER

VEG FOCUS

How do weeds resist glyphosate
DR. STEPHEN POWLES,
AUSTRALIAN HERBICIDE
RESISTANCE INITIATIVE
(AHRI)
REPRINTED WITH
PERMISSION
If you ever find yourself in the
situation where you are catering
for a group of people, and you are
wondering how much food to prepare, the best thing to do is to
prepare a little extra, just in case.
The last thing that you want to do
is run out.
Believe it or not, this is how
some weeds resist glyphosate.
They make an extra-large batch
of the enzyme that glyphosate
binds to, just in case. This way, if
the weed is sprayed with
glyphosate that inhibits some of
the enzyme, there is still enough
left for the plant to function and
survive. This mechanism is
known as ‘Gene Amplification’
and was discovered by Dr. Todd
Gaines along with a large team of
scientists from around the world.

There are currently six known
mechanisms of glyphosate resistance and several more are suspected.
There are several other
mechanisms of glyphosate resistance currently being researched
but are yet to be confirmed.
Q. How many weed scientists
does it take to identify a
glyphosate resistance mechanism?
A. 18.
No, this is not a bad joke, it is
reality. The research effort led by
Dr. Todd Gaines with Colorado
State University, AHRI and Bayer
CropScience Germany, involved
collaborating with 17 other scientists around the world to identify
a new glyphosate resistance
mechanism. This gives some indication of how complex these new
findings are. There is a considerable global effort to better understand glyphosate resistance.
The mechanism discovered in
this research is called ‘Gene
Amplification’ because the plant

The table above lists the six known mechanisms of glyphosate resistance.
produces many copies of the gene
that codes for the EPSPS enzyme.
Glyphosate kills plants by
inhibiting the enzyme EPSPS.
This research discovered that
America’s biggest problem weed,
pigweed (Palmer amaranth),
developed resistance by producing a lot more of this enzyme.
This research identified pigweed
with five fold to 160-fold more
copies of the EPSPS gene. More
copies of the gene resulted in
more EPSPS enzyme activity.

The effect of additional EPSPS
genes is additive, and additional
copies of the gene infer higher
levels of resistance. Put simply,
more copies of the EPSPS gene =
more EPSPS activity = higher
levels of resistance to glyphosate.
Glyphosate can still bind and
inhibit some of the EPSPS
enzyme produced by the plant,
but the plant survives because
there is enough EPSPS enzyme
left over to do its job and keep
the plant alive.

Pest of the month - white mould in snap beans
ELAINE RODDY
Beans are susceptible to white
mould infections during flowering
and early pod-set. Small, circular, water-soaked lesions develop
on the pods of infected flowers,
or where fallen petals become
caught in the lower canopy or leaf
axils.
Infected tissues later develop a
dense, cottony, white fungal
growth. Leaves of severely
infected plants will eventually
turn yellow and fall off. Sclerotia
(hard, black, irregular-shaped
fruiting bodies) form in the
branches, stems and pods of
infected plants (Figure 2).
White mould over-winters
mycelium in infected crop residue
and as buried sclerotia. The sclerotia will survive for up to five
years in soil and crop residue.
The initial infection period
requires moist soils and temperatures between 11 and 20º C (5268º F.) A dense crop canopy
often produces a cool, moist
microclimate, ideal for white
mould release. Plant surfaces
must remain wet for 24-48 hours
for infection to occur. Once established, the disease develops most
rapidly between at temperatures
between 20 and 25º C (68-77º F.)
Fungal development essentially
stops at temperatures over 30º C
(86º F.)
If the weather conditions in the
crop canopy are conducive to
white mould infection, apply a
white mould fungicide at 20%
bloom followed by a second
application 7-days later.
Elaine Roddy is Vegetable
Crops Specialist, OMAF/MRA
Ridgetown, Ontario.

Strength of
Resistance

Weeds

Figure 1. White Mould Infected Pods and Stem

Figure 2. White Mould Sclerotinia

This resistance mechanism has
now also been confirmed in ryegrass and kochia species (confirmed resistant in Western
Canada). These weed species are
the world champions of developing resistance to herbicides. It
comes as no surprise that these
weed species are each able to
develop several different mechanisms of resistance to glyphosate.

PAGE 20 –– DECEMBER 2013
THE GROWER

BITS AND BITES

Intra-row weed cultivator now on market
With the ever increasing cost
of labour for organic and conventional vegetable growers,
Machinefabriek Steketee BV set
out on a mission, to create an
accurate, cost-effective piece of
equipment to help control the
growth of weeds in high value
crops.
The fully automatic intra-row
weed cultivator offers camera
controlled, automatic hoeing units
that remove the competing weeds
both between the planted rows
and the intra-row, in between
plant to plant spaces. Implement
control is provided by use of an
Apple Ipad tablet, providing ease
of use and adjustment. Modular
manufacturing techniques allow
for multiple row and crop config-

urations to be offered on the same
machine.
“Growers are asking for a
solution for resistant weeds, in
conventional and organic growing
techniques, and with ever increasing costs, manual labour is no
longer the option,” says Paul
Smith, Northern Equipment
Solutions, the North American
dealer for Steketee mechanical
and chemical weed solutions.
“With the Steketee IC, proven to
have incredible accuracy, and
ease of operation within all crops,
weed competition will no longer
be a factor within many growers’
operations.”
To obtain more information
please visit www.northernequipment.ca.

Species at Risk Farm Incentive Program
KATIE BURT
The sixth year of the Species
at Risk Farm Incentive Program
(SARFIP) is well underway,
offering new cost-share opportunities for farm-based stewardship
projects such as improved stream
crossings, fencing, habitat

restoration, tree planting, invasive
species removal and other Best
Management Practices (BMPs).
Funded by the Ministry of
Natural Resources (MNR) and
Environment Canada and administered by the Ontario Soil and
Crop Improvement Association
(OSCIA), SARFIP has been
reshaped for 2013, offering up to

80 per cent cost-share for almost
all BMPs. The unique three-level
cost-share structure is tailored to
its users, providing farm businesses with the ability to decide how
willing they are to research and
identify Species at Risk (SAR).
“What the funding levels do
for this program is give the
decision-making tools to the

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Fresh at the 2014 Convention and Trade
Show in Vancouver.

APRIL 2-4, 2014

cpma.ca

farmer, allowing
them to figure out
where their interests
lie,” Christine
Schmalz, Senior
Environmental
Programs
Coordinator says.
“For OSCIA, categorizing projects this
way means there are
broad opportunities
for farmers across
the landscape, with
the focus on those
that directly support
SAR.”
Level one funding is available to all
farmers across the
province, offering 30
per cent cost-share
to a maximum of $2,500 to
implement any one of the eligible
SARFIP BMPs. Applicants are
not in any way required to have
SAR on their property to participate in the program at this level.
Level two funding at 50 per
cent to a maximum of $5,000
connects more closely with SAR.
Applicants can elevate their projects to this level by identifying if
their farm is located in a federal
SAR priority area using the map
provided at www.ontariosoilcrop.org/en/programs/species_at_r
isk.htm, or determining if the
farm is located in a key habitat
area for provincial SAR.
Level 3 offers opportunities for
applicants who have SAR on their
property and are directly addressing the species’ habitat needs.
Applicants can access 80 per cent
cost-share to $15,000 through this
Level.
OSCIA has approved several
level one, two and three projects
so far this year. For example, a
shelterbelt and windbreak plan
was approved at level 1, which
will enhance the connection
between existing woodlots and
reduce soil loss due to wind erosion. A livestock-fencing project
that will keep livestock from
entering a waterway, protecting
the shoreline and reducing agri-

cultural impacts on water quality,
was approved at level 2 because
the farm is located in the federal
SAR priority area. Lastly, a cash
cropper in South Western Ontario
was approved for level three for a
project aimed at combating invasive species located in an existing
woodlot, where several types of
SAR are known to exist.
There are ample opportunities
offered through SARFIP for 2013
and funding remains available.
All appropriate projects with
invoices falling on or after April
1, 2013 may be eligible for costshare through this program.
Farm businesses interested in
SARFIP are welcome to apply via
email or post. The program is a
first-come first-serve program,
meaning applications will be
accepted until the existing budget
is fully allocated for 2013. Any
questions can be directed to
Project and Claim Reviewer, Brad
Carberry at 226-979-2465.
More information, including
access to downloadable application forms, maps for federal priority areas and the necessary steps
for participation, visit the
SARFIP website at www.ontariosoilcrop.org/en/programs/specie
s_at_risk.htm.
Katie Burt, Ontario Soil and
Crop Improvement Association

DECEMBER 2013 –– PAGE 21
THE GROWER

MINOR USE

Delegate cleared for use on soft fruit exports to Japan
Blueberry and cherry producers who
export their products to Japan can now
apply Delegate WG insecticide for control
of several foliage feeding pests. For blueberry and other soft fruit growers, Delegate
received an emergency use permit earlier
this year to protect against spotted wing
drosophila (SWD), a relatively new and
highly damaging pest. Delegate is used for
SWD and leafroller control in cherries.
Export markets are particularly important for blueberry and cherry growers, says
Jerry Olechowski, marketing manager with
Dow AgroSciences. Both crops are exported overseas so establishing foreign residue

tolerances for these two key crops is critical to growers in Canada.
Delegate WG is a proven fruit and vegetable insecticide from the spinosyn chemistry class that provides long-lasting control of a broad spectrum of insect pests.
Insects are controlled two ways -- by contact and ingestion -- for quick knockdown
and residual activity. Delegate also possesses translaminar ability, giving extra
protection against insects that feed from
the underside of leaves, and increased
resistance to washoff by rain.
Source: Dow AgroSciences Canada news
release

Potato growers to combat foliar diseases with new fungicide
Bayer CropScience Canada announces
the registration of Luna Tranquility as a
foliar fungicide for potatoes. Already a
trusted fungicide for apples and grapes,
Luna Tranquility is an all-in-one formulation that includes a new and unique Group
7 (fluopyram) and proven Group 9
(pyrimethanil) modes of action. Luna
Tranquility provides unparalleled disease
protection against the leaf spot complex

(early blight and brown leaf spot), white
mold and black dot.
“With a unique Group 7 and 9 mode of
action, Luna Tranquility is able to control
early blight and brown leaf spot unlike any
other previous fungicides,” said David
Kikkert, portfolio manager, horticulture,
Bayer CropScience.
Early blight and brown leaf spot have
recently become less sensitive to existing

Group 11 and other Group 7 fungicides in
North America, leaving potato growers
with fewer effective options. Luna
Tranquility offers potato growers an effective alternative to control these diseases as
part of a responsible resistance management program.
In addition to early blight and brown
leaf spot control, Luna Tranquility controls
white mold and has activity on black dot,

helping growers manage many diseases
with one product. It can be applied by
either ground or air.
“Used in a preventative spray program,
Luna Tranquility will help growers combat
major yield robbing diseases and produce
better yielding, high quality potatoes,”
explains Kikkert.
Source: Bayer CropScience News Release

for minor use requests
At the most recent U.S. IR-4
meeting where food crop priorities were established for 2014
projects, a number of key projects
of interest to Canadian producers
may become new joint minor use
projects with AAFC-PMC.
For summaries of minor use crop
registrations, priorities and active
projects visit:
www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/
crops/minoruse/index.html

CRAIG HUNTER
OFVGA
As I pass through life, I get to
meet a lot of interesting and
valuable people: valued by me for
varied and eclectic reasons. This
past year has taken an inordinate
toll on many ‘contributors,’ either
through retirement or by their
passage. In my last column for
2013 I want to give each of them
a little space, but will doubtlessly
overlook a few. It will never be
enough to express what they
mean to me: they may never be in
a “Hall of Fame” but their
contributions put them in my
personal “Hall.”
I got started in this business of
agricultural pesticides working
for Pleasant View Farms of Dixie
Ontario. The proprietor was Don
Pallett, a past chair of OFVGA.
His son David was (at the time)
an extension specialist with
ODAF- a job I just knew I had to
get. Dave was a worthy successor
to his Dad in the business, and we
continued to discuss issues
throughout my career until his
untimely death this spring. The
end of an era: and the loss of a
‘Good Man,’ who gave back to
his community in many ways,
most of them behind the scenes.
In my early years in Simcoe
with OMAF, we employed a great
many ‘summer students,’ as I had
been just a few years previous.
One of them was Phil Somerville,
the son of a local apple grower.
Phil was keen -- in the best sense
of the word. He wanted to learn,
and would do extra just to get the
experience. He went on to serve
growers by working in the Crop
Protection field. We lost Phil to a
sudden heart attack this spring.
He was a great family man, good
to his customers and a great

friend in his community.
At virtually the same time, I
heard of the passing of Gary
McLaughlin. He had worked for
many companies in the farm input
business community, but I knew
him best in his Chipman
Chemicals days. Always a
character, I can vividly recall a
massive practical joke he played
on another in the industry while
we attended the old Cornell Red
Book Meetings. I also know that
he too was well known in his
community for ‘giving back.’
Whenever Gary was in the room
or on the golf course, everyone
knew it- he had ‘presence.’
We lost Dr. George Collin this
summer too. He was the first
director of the Research Station in
Simcoe, and in charge when I
first went there to work. Later on
he was back in OMAF and headed the research and education
division where I worked under
(many rungs under) him. George
was also extremely involved in
his community, and an active
Rotarian. He was committed to
the Chestnut Council of Ontario,
and I was present this fall when a
chestnut tree was planted in his
honour at the Station. His third
daughter Martha was also one of
my raspberry pickers- a job she
never really liked, but stuck it out
I am sure with a little prod from
her Dad.
Just a few short weeks after
that tree planting we learned of
the sudden passing of Arthur
Loughton, who had helped
organize the event for George.
Arthur was the second station
director, succeeding George in
1975. Later, he headed the
OMAFRA Transition Crops team.
He is credited with the mantra -‘find your market first, we can
grow almost anything.’ Arthur too
was a dedicated Rotarian, and a
volunteer for many groups in our
community.
In the middle of the summer I
was deeply shocked and saddened
by the sudden death of Wayne
Roberts. Wayne was a mentor, he
was a friend, and he was a sounding board. I knew him for over 40
years, starting day one in my first
job at OMAF. In the years that he
headed the Crop Protection Team,
we were always that- a team. He

never wanted to be a ‘boss,’ just
one of the team. This was his
way, and it worked for the
betterment of Ontario
Horticulture. I miss him every
day, as do his family and friends.
The Canadian Horticultural
Council (CHC) also lost a great
campaigner this year. Joe
Sardinha from B.C. had given so
much of himself to the apple
industry over the years that it was
hard to realize he was still so
young! As chair of the B.C.
apple industry, he led with vision
and determination. The same was
true when he headed the CHC
Apple Committee for many years.
Joe was no shrinking violet, and
his passion to improve the
industry for everyone’s benefit
shone through every day. I will
miss his huge smile and his
insightful comments each year
when CHC meets. His family
must be thanked for letting Joe do
so much, and to be away so much
for others. He is mourned not just
in B.C. but all across Canada.
I lost a good friend this fall
who is not as well known in this
industry. Cameron Pengilley was
the proprietor of The Oaks of St.
George Golf Club. If one turned
back the clocks 60 or 70 years,
many would have known his
father Jim as an entrepreneur, an
apple and cherry grower, and a
financier from the Clarkson area.
That farm has all been swallowed
up by housing and calls itself
Mississauga now. I did once tell
him that as a kid I ate (stole)
some of his apples, but he forgave
me as by then I was ‘part of the
family.’ Cameron was originally a
banker, but always hankered to
own a golf course, and by his
great efforts he carved one out of
a tired old farm. He used all the
inborn skills of a farmer to make
it happen. When he died there
was a great outpouring by friends,
neighbours, and family. He gave
back to his community in many
quiet and unheralded ways, such
as sponsoring a heart and stroke
golf tournament for many years -in memory of his Dad -- and as a
way of doing something for the
greater community. I know his
loss will be felt deeply by his

family, and by the whole
community around St. George. It
is also the end of an era of
another farming family that is just
one of many who made their
mark in our industry.
Now on a happier note:
Dr. Gerry Stephenson stepped
down from the Ontario Pesticides
Committee after an unprecedented 38 years of service. Most
growers will not know that it was
his expertise, especially with
herbicides, that allowed OPAC to
do a more efficient job in dealing
with pesticide issues that arose
over those years. He is already
missed- the steady hand and
valued opinions he contributed
often capped discussions- what
Gerry said would be ‘it’ for the
rest. Even years after ‘retirement’
from the U of Guelph, Gerry
continues to share his expertise
around the world. His OPAC
legacy is the new Herbicide
Tables that will make the
committee’s job much easier in
the future.
Another ‘retirement’ was for
Jeff Wilson who sold his farm
and moved to Grand Valley.
There is not enough space here to
do him justice, but let it be said
for the record that I know of no
other individual grower in our
industry that gave such insightful
(and at times inciting as well as
exciting) representation to governments around the world. I had
the pleasure (most of the time) of
travelling with Jeff, and was often
in awe of who he knew, who
knew him, and the positive
connections he made with his
audience. He truly helped our
industry, in his own unique style
(and who can forget the pepper
pants!?)
Dr. Lorne Hepworth
announced earlier this year that
he was stepping down as
president of CropLife Canada
(CLC). He came to CLC with a
past as a veterinarian, as the
co-owner of a large grain farm in
the west, as past Minister of
Agriculture in Saskatchewan, and
as a businessman. He led the
many changes that took CLC into
the 21st century. It now truly does
represent the length and breadth

of the Life Sciences and Crop
Protection interests for its
member companies. His legacy of
having recruited and maintained a
world-class staff is a tribute to
him as a leader. His board can be
assured that he never wasted
money on golf lessons, but let it
be known that he can give lessons
on humility, determination, and
forthrighteous leadership on the
issues that matter to his association. I look forward to being able
to work with his successor, Ted
Menzies, in the same manner- it
helps all our members to have
such a good working relationship.
Another long-time colleague
and friend, Wanda Michalowicz,
retired from the Ministry of the
Environment this spring. We had
worked together on many projects
over the years both when I was
with OMAFRA and afterwards.
She also continues to sit on
OPAC, as do I. Wanda was
always the asker of the tough
questions, and forced others to
justify things that she knew
would sooner or later show up
coming from senior managers.
Her love of all things in our
natural environment allowed her
to best appreciate the potential
debasement of that environment
that could arise from improper
pesticide use. Unlike many
others, she did understand the
biologic imperative facing
farmers, and went out of her way
to smooth the path of product
availability, (always within the
rules!) that gave farmers what
they needed as soon as possible.
We didn’t always agree, but had a
shared background (she inherited
my desk when I was finishing
grad school and she was just
starting) that led to a career-long
friendship. We will continue to
meet at the monthly OPAC
meetings where I will enjoy the
occasional sparring match
followed by best wishes.
This could go on, but I will
end by wishing all readers a
Happy New Year, and Best
Wishes for a healthy and
prosperous 2014.

The best oﬀense is a good defense.
So switch on your crops’ natural defenses and
protect them from disease with Regalia Maxx.

Northeastern Integrated Pest Management
Center releases new video
The Northeastern Integrated Pest Management Center,
housed at Cornell University, recently released the latest
video in a series about brown marmorated stink bugs
(BMSB). This one deals with management, including
insecticides, trap cropping, physical barriers, and organic
and biological control techniques.
Earlier videos have looked at the non-native pest's history, identification, overwintering and spread, monitoring
and mapping, and host plants. The pest was recently found

in residential yards in Sacramento, CA. Although they
have yet to be found in nearby commercial crops, officials
fear it will be just a matter of time. Since the pest was first
detected in Pennsylvania, it has been confirmed in 40
states as well as Ontario. It has caused severe agricultural
and nuisance problems in six of those states.
To view the video: www.stopbmsb.org/video#part9

Intrepid insecticide now labelled for caneberries, herbs
JIM CHAPUT, OMAF & MRA,
MINOR USE COORDINATOR,
GUELPH
The Pest Management
Regulatory Agency (PMRA)
recently announced the approval
of a minor use label expansion for
Intrepid 240F insecticide for control of leafrollers on caneberries
and loopers, armyworms and
webworms on herbs (crop subgroup 19A except chives) in
Canada. Intrepid 240F insecticide
was already labeled in Canada for
management of a number of
insects on pome fruit, bushberries, Brassica vegetables, corn,
cranberries, cucurbit vegetables,

fruiting vegetables, leafy vegetables, legume vegetables, tuberous
and corm vegetables, grapes,
stone fruit and tree nuts.
These minor use projects sponsored by Agriculture & AgriFood Canada, Pest Management
Centre (AAFC-PMC) were submitted in 2009 and 2012 in
response to minor use priorities
identified by producers and extension personnel in Canada.
This registration will provide
caneberry and herb producers
with a pest management and
resistance management tool to
help manage these pests in
Canada.
The following is provided as a
general, abbreviated outline only.

Users should consult the complete
label before using Intrepid 240F
insecticide.
For control of leafrollers on
caneberries, apply 0.5 – 0.75 L
Intrepid 240F insecticide per
hectare in sufficient water to
ensure thorough coverage. Time
treatments to coincide with egg
hatch or the appearance of small
larvae. For overwintering larvae,
apply as soon as feeding starts in
the spring. Reapply within seven 14 days if monitoring indicates a
need. Do not apply within three
days of harvest. Do not apply
more than three applications per
year. For control of caterpillar
pests of herbs (subgroup 19A
except chives), apply 0.58 –

1.16 L Intrepid 240F insecticide
per hectare in 200 – 500 L water
per ha when larvae are small and
actively feeding. Repeat applications as determined by further
monitoring at a minimum 10 day
interval between treatments. Do
not apply within one day of harvest. Do not apply more than two
L product / ha / year.
Intrepid 240F insecticide
should be used in an integrated
pest management program and in
rotation with other management
strategies. This product is toxic to
aquatic organisms. Do not contaminate any body of water by
direct application, cleaning of
equipment or disposal of wastes.
Methoxyfenozide is persistent and

will carry over; it is recommended that Intrepid 240F insecticide
not be used in areas treated with
this product during the previous
season.
Follow all other precautions
and directions for use on the
Intrepid 240F insecticide label.
For copies of the new
supplemental label for caneberries
contact Pam Fisher, OMAF &
MRA, Simcoe (519) 426-2238,
for herbs contact Melanie Filotas,
OMAF & MRA, Simcoe (519)
426-4434 or visit the Dow
Agrosciences website at
www.dowagro.com/ca

PAGE 24 –– DECEMBER 2013
THE GROWER

THE GROWER

FOCUS: VINEYARDS
AND WINERIES
MARKETPLACE

DECEMBER 2013

CELEBRATING 133 YEARS AS CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION

SECTION B

VINEYARDS AND WINERIES

Tannin alert: a new tool to improve wine quality
KAREN DAVIDSON
For a great take on tannins,
look to none other than Beppi
Crosariol, the Globe and Mail’s
wine columnist.
“They’re astringent, sometimes
furry-tasting compounds found
mainly in red wines,” he wrote in
an October 2012 article. “They’re
never a bad thing where quality is
concerned. In fact, some of the
greatest, most cellar-worthy wines
are strongly tannic. But like the
bristly texture of a wool sweater,
they can bother some consumers.
Naturally produced by plants, tannins get into the juice by way of
grape skins, seeds and stems.”
For Richie Roberts, winemaker
at Fielding Estate Winery, massaging those furry-tasting compounds is totally in order depending on the growing season at
Beamsville, Ontario. If the right
balance isn’t reached – too much
tannin from seeds and not enough
from skins, for example-- the
results are light-coloured wine,
lack-lustre flavours and green
aromas.
Belinda Kemp is trying to help
winemakers find the best way to
tweak tannins. As the senior scientist in oenology for the Cool
Climate Oenology and Viticulture
Institute (CCOVI), she’s testing
the tannin concentrations in skins
and seeds so that she can suggest
different wine-making techniques.
With the first season of testing
complete, she’s looking to launch
a tannin alert service in 2014 that
would be the first of its kind for
the Niagara region. If successful,
it could be rolled out across
Canada.
To date, winemaking decisions
have been based on sugars, titratable acidity and pH levels. She
plans to add more critical data
with vineyard sampling and laboratory testing of tannin concentrations in three red varietals: Pinot
Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and
Cabernet Franc.
As she demonstrated in the
Fielding Estate vineyard, brown
seeds do not give a clear indication of ripeness.
“There is no such thing as tannin maturity,” she says. “Just a
difference in extractable tannin
concentrations. There can be a
tiny change in brix level and yet a
big change in tannin levels. We
want more skin and less seed tan-

How does that taste? Richie Roberts (L), winemaker for Fielding Estate Winery, compares notes with owner-grower Curtis Fielding and Belinda
Kemp, senior scientist, oenology for Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI). Mid-October was a good time to sample these
Merlot grapes, still two weeks away from harvest. CCOVI is developing a tannin alert for Niagara peninsula growers that could eventually be
rolled out across the province. Photo by Denis Cahill.
nins. We want a high per cent of
brown seeds rather than green
ones that can negatively impact
flavour with green, unripe notes.”
With more information at harvest time, winemakers can
employ a number of techniques to
soften the impact of tannins and
to improve wine quality at all
ripeness levels. Kemp is now analyzing the samples to set a benchmark. Based on concentration
data, grape skins and seeds will
be classified into one of three categories: low, medium or high tannin levels.
A year from now, base-level
wines from the three grape varieties will be made at the low,
medium and high tannin levels
using the same winemaking technique. A second set of wines will
be produced using the most suitable winemaking techniques for
each tannin group which can then
be compared to the base wines.
Next year, winemakers should be
able to taste and see the differences in wines.

As more knowledge of Niagara
grape tannin is gained, Kemp
plans to issue a best practices
guide for managing tannin concentrations in red wine. Curtis
Fielding, for one, is looking forward to a tannin alert as a tool in

addition to the varietal information that’s available on brix, acidity and pH levels.
“We watch that barometer
closely to gain a good perspective
on what’s happening in the
Niagara peninsula,” says Fielding.

The ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon grape seeds

“We’re very pleased with the
research coming out of Brock
University. Their researchers are
working hand-in-hand with growers and winemakers.”

PAGE B2 –– DECEMBER 2013
THE GROWER

FOCUS: VINEYARDS AND WINERIES

Newsmakers
Ziraldo founded Vintners Quality
Alliance, a framework to uphold the quality and authenticity of Ontario wines. He
was the driving force behind Brock
University’s Cool Climate Oenology and
Viticulture Institute. He was instrumental
in getting the Niagara College Culinary
Tourism Institute off the ground – to provide education in culinary arts and complement Canadian wines. More recently, he
chaired the Vineland Research and
Innovation Centre from 2007-2011.
He was nominated by the Grape
Growers of Ontario, Wine Council of
Ontario and Canadian Vintners
Association. His portrait is now on display
in the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame
Gallery located at the Royal Agricultural
Winter Fair.
The Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame
Association recently inducted Donald
Ziraldo, a pioneer of the Canadian wine
industry.
Ziraldo first made headlines in 1975
when he and business partner Karl Kaiser
were granted the first winery license in
Ontario since the days of prohibition. The
Inniskillin Wines brand was born and
Canada’s grape and wine industry was
headed for a huge transformation. The use
of vinifera grapes gave Canadian growers a
new opportunity to produce and sell new
varieties of grapes, and the stage was set
for Canadian vintners to begin making
world class, award-winning wines that
were historically dominated by European
wineries.

Colaneri Estate Winery is the proud producer of two wines chosen as the official
wines of the Ontario Legislative Assembly
for 2014. The red is 2010 Corposo
(Ripasso Style) and the white is 2011
Cavallone (Pinot Grigio). The Niagara-onthe-Lake winery was one of six wineries to
put forth candidates for the tasting event.
“The wines showcased at the wine tasting reflect the connection between 100 per
cent Ontario-grown grapes and the winemakers who craft them,” says Debbie
Zimmerman. “As we celebrated the 35th
anniversary of this event, I congratulate all
of Ontario’s wineries on top-quality VQA
wines.”

Mike Standen and Betty Colaneri from Colaneri Estate Winery with the Honourable
Speaker Dave Levac (centre).
Colaneri Estate Winery is family owned
and has operated for 30 years, offering premium, hand-harvested, award-winning
wines made in the Italian appassimento
method. “We are excited to have our wines
enjoyed and appreciated for the passion
that went into the making of them,” states
Betty Colaneri.

The Tourism Industry Association of
Ontario honoured Deborah Pratt as this
year's winner of the Lifetime Achievement
Award, presented at the 2013 Ontario

Tourism Summit in Toronto, Ontario. The
award, designed and hand blown by
Ontario artist Kelly Lowe, was presented
by Michael Chan, Minister of Tourism,
Culture and Sport.
Debi Pratt is a veteran of the wine
industry. Considered by many in the industry as a pioneer of Niagara and Canada's
wine industry, Debi started her career in
teaching and traded that profession more
than 35 years ago to become Inniskillin
Niagara's media and public relations point
person.

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The 2013 British Columbia
Wine Label Awards were recently
awarded in Kelowna, B.C. at the
Okanagan Wine Festival.
Harper’s Trail Late Harvest
Riesling won the Best Dessert
Label.
The branding and packaging
for Harper’s Trail was created by
the design team at Town Hall
Brands, under the collaborative

input from
Christine Coletta
at Okanagan
Crush Pad, where
Harper’s Trail
was incubated as
a custom crush
winery client
before opening its
own doors in
2013.
Andrew von
Rosen, the
designer of the
label, has created
more than 24 winery labels since
2008. He knows
not only what is
required technically for the wine
business, but also
how to create
packaging that
mimics a winery’s unique story.
He shares the thoughts behind the
look and textures of the packaging.
“The packaging makes a nod
to the pioneering period when
Thaddeus Harper and his family
ranched in the area,” he shares.
“The typeface, Rosewood, is
based on a font from the late

1800s, and is meant to recall
vintage posters of the time whose
similar lettering was made of
wood or lead type. For the capsule, the steel colour was chosen
to mimic metal from horseshoes,
and the paper selected is a natural, less processed and textured
paper, to reflect the natural state
of the special place where the
vineyard is situated.”

Earlier this year, BC Business
magazine recognized Okanagan
Crush Pad as one of its top innovators of the year at an award ceremony in Vancouver while the
Thompson Okanagan Tourism
Association (TOTA) awarded the
winery its Technology &
Innovation trophy at a ceremony
held in Chase, BC.
Additionally, Christine
Coletta was named “One to
Watch” in Vancouver Magazine’s
12th Annual “Power 50” list of
influential people. Okanagan
Crush Pad (OCP) winery, located
in Summerland, BC, is owned by
wine industry marketing consultant Coletta and her husband
Steve Lornie. As a small, yet
inventive winery, it’s the first

Steve Lornie and Christine Coletta, Okanagan Crush Pad. Photo by
Lionel Trudel
custom winemaking facility of its
kind in Canada. The team makes
wine for grape growers and people wishing to enter the wine
industry, yet it also offers guidance and advice from field to the
marketplace, to help clients establish profitable businesses.

A new series of continuing
education programs from Brock
University’s Cool Climate
Oenology and Viticulture Institute
(CCOVI) is aiming to transfer
best practices learned in the
research institute out to the local
grape and wine industry with a
series of seminars. The Calibrate
series of workshops helps grape
growers, staff within local wineries and those considering entering
the industry, learn about and
improve various aspects of their
operations by attending sessions
developed by Brock researchers
that take place both in and outside
a typical classroom environment.
And the uptake from the local

industry is showing this hands-on
approach to continuing education
is in demand. For example, the
Calibrate Your Vineyard session has already expanded from
one annual offering in Niagara, to
three sessions across the province
next winter in Niagara, Norfolk
County and Prince Edward
County. The seminar takes grape
growers into two vineyards to
demonstrate best practices in
vineyard management and pruning over the winter months, while
an in-class portion allows participants to learn about how they can
apply the latest research findings
to their operations.
Calibrate Your Vineyard will
be run by CCOVI viticulturist Jim
Willwerth and offered Jan. 16 in
Niagara, Feb. 11 in Norfolk
County and in Prince Edward
County at a date to be confirmed
soon.
More information on the
Calibrate series of programs can
be found here: www.brocku.ca/
ccovi/outreach-services/calibrate

PAGE B4 –– DECEMBER 2013
THE GROWER

FOCUS: VINEYARDS AND WINERIES

Different business models distinguish vineyards . . .
BRITISH COLUMBIA
KAREN DAVIDSON
Mining history has always
been a favourite tactic for wineries. Tell the story of your roots.
Evoke the smells of the past.
Harper’s Trail Estate Winery
offers an excellent case history,
the first winery to open in
Kamloops, British Columbia in
August 2013. Locals will instantly gravitate to the story of pioneer
rancher Thaddeus Harper and his
famous cattle drive trail. Because
there are springs on the property
– Thadd Springs -- it was an ideal
staging area when driving cattle
from the Chilcotin plateau down
to San Francisco. Now, it’s an
oasis for tourists.
Pioneers themselves, Ed and
Vicki Collett have bravely planted 23 acres of grapes on the
banks of the South Thompson
River. Their vineyard must withstand blazing summers and freezing winters in an environment
that’s more akin to desert. From a
modest harvest of nine tonnes in
2011, their courage has been

Pioneers Ed and Vicki Collett put down stakes in the first winery in
Kamloops. Take a virtual visit at www.harperstrail.com. Photos by
Linda Williams.
rewarded with 40 tonnes in 2012
and now 67 tonnes in 2013.
“We’re not much different in
climate than Osoyoos in the
southern Okanagan,” he explains.
“However our limestone base
soils are unique. We think there’s
a huge opportunity with much
more affordable land prices here
in Kamloops than in the
Okanagan.”
“We have travelled the globe

and think there’s no reason not to
have vineyards here. “We’re
using all the technology available
to us to protect the vines.”
In this neck of the woods,
wildlife poses more threat than
weather, so an eight-foot animal
fence has been erected around the
property. The other hurdle is not
environmental at all. According to
Vicki Collett, it’s overcoming
disbelief of locals that a winery

Kamloops, an emerging wine region of British Columbia, is not much
different in climate than Osoyoos in the southern Okanagan.. However
land prices are much cheaper.
can exist in this region.
Teaming up with Okanagan
Crush Pad based in Summerland,
their first wines were released in
2012 under the winemaking
expertise of Michael Bartier. This
fall, their wines are incubating at
their own facility in Kamloops
with a tasting room open to the
public from May to October.
They are offering two Rieslings, a
Rose, Pinot Gris,
Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay,
Field Blend White, Late Harvest
Riesling and a Cabernet Franc.

The wines reflect this emerging
grape-growing region with
minerality and crisp acidity.
“Lots of people in Kamloops
don’t know we’re here,” says
Vicki Collett. But that’s soon to
change with more promotion for
their new wine shop and tasting
room, patios for events and next
year, a 5,000-square foot crushing
and fermentation building. With
80,000 people at their doorstep,
the Collett’s are aggressively
busting the myth that grapes can’t
grow in this clime.

NOVA SCOTIA
With 700 acres under vine in
Nova Scotia, the industry is
sparkling with opportunity – literally. Benjamin Bridge Brut
Reserve, a sparkling white wine
made in the style of the best that
French Champagne has to offer,
is considered by wine connoisseurs to be the best in its class in
Canada.
With critical mass building in
the industry – anywhere from 14
to 18 wineries depending on definition -- Donna Sears came on
board as the founding director of
the Atlantic Wine Institute (AWI)
in 2012. Astutely located at
Acadia University, the AWI
connects viticulture academics,
oenology specialists and wine
business experts with industry.
Partners include Acadia
University, Collège communautaire de Noveau Brunswick,
Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture,
Holland College, Nova Scotia
Community College and St.
Mary’s University.

“We’re in a challenging climate for growing grapes well,”
Sears says from her Wolfville
office, within view of the Minas
Basin and Bay of Fundy.
“We’ve made great strides with a
sparkling program as well as our
signature grape L’Acadie, an aromatic white hybrid that’s hardy
enough to withstand cold winters.
The L’Acadie grape is also a key
element in Nova Scotia’s new
appellation wine: Tidal Bay.”
While agronomic issues are an
important focus of research, marketing and tourism are a priority
for Sears. Three years ago, she
began a multi-pronged research
project aimed at identifying and
creating a profile of Nova Scotia
wine tourists.
“A hallmark for our industry
is that much of the production is
in small batches,” Sears says.
Those small batches have
spawned big dreams.
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

DECEMBER 2013 –– PAGE B5
THE GROWER

FOCUS: VINEYARDS AND WINERIES

. . . in emerging regions across Canada
CONTINUED FROM PAGE B4
Boutique wineries are a selling
point for agri-tourism, a fact
that’s been seized upon by the
Wolfville Business Development
Corporation. Executive director
David Hovell has capitalized on
the whimsical town located just
one hour’s drive from Halifax.
Once tourists come, what’s to do?
The Wolfville Magic Winery Bus
has partnered with four wineries
in the region: Domaine de Grand
Pré, Luckett Vineyards, L’Acadie
Vineyards and Gaspereau
Vineyards. A double-decker bus
leaves Wolfville at prescribed
times with passengers allowed to
stop and sip, and then board again
for the next stop.
“We are all working together

to authenticate the Wolfville area
as the centre of Atlantic Canada’s
wine country,” explains Hovell.
“In 2012, the pink double decker
bus toured participants through
Wolfville and to the wineries for
seven weekends and a total of 14
days. It was so well received that
this year the event grew to 11
weekends and 33 days.”
Sears is now evaluating the
visitor feedback in terms of how
well the experience is meeting
expectations. Is it necessary to
meet the winemaker? What
logistics of the tour can be
improved? In a follow-up project,
she’s evaluating the economic
impact of the Magic Winery Bus
tour.
Nova Scotia’s wine industry is
gaining profile and respect.
Luckett Vineyards is so confident

Luckett Vineyards has installed a vintage British-style phone booth in their picturesque vineyard. Visitors
can phone anywhere in North America for free.
that a British-style phone booth
has been installed in the middle
of the vineyard. Visitors are

encouraged to make a free call
anywhere in North America.
Imagine the word-of-mouth

publicity when tourists phone
home to say, “Wish you were
here!”

released from the University of
Minnesota in 2006. It’s resistant
to downy mildew, powdery
mildew and black rot. Seyval
Blanc has had a good history in
the Finger Lakes area of New
York, and should do well in the

cool climate. And Chambourcin is
a red variety that’s known for its
robust wines and affinity for
chocolate.
Norie and his father Roland
have built a 3,000-square foot
event space for wine members to

use. Guests enjoy the rustic
atmosphere and the opportunity to
choose from the 2,500 cases of
wine for sale this year.

ONTARIO

Norie Nersisyan checks his vines at the Holland Marsh Winery
(www.hmwineries.ca) near Newmarket, Ontario. It’s the only vineyard
in an agricultural area dominated by muck crops. Photo by Glenn
Lowson.

Marquette
Carrots and onions won’t be
displaced anytime soon by vineyards, but the Holland Marsh
Winery is proving there’s space
for a niche venture.
“There’s lots of skepticism
about a vineyard in Newmarket,”
says Norie Nersisyan. “There’s
huge risk whether you grow vines
or vegetables. Our biggest concern is frost.”
Established almost seven years
ago, the 11 acres of vineyard is
now planted to Cabernet
Sauvignon, Riesling, Vidal, Baco
Noir and Gamay Noir. To that
mix, add cold-hardy varieties of
Seyval Blanc, Marquette and
Chambourcin.
Each of these new varieties

Seyval Blanc

Chambourcin
will add dimension to the current
blended wines. Take Marquette,
for example, a red varietal

PAGE B6 –– DECEMBER 2013
THE GROWER

FOCUS: VINEYARDS AND WINERIES

Geotextiles can reduce freeze injury in Ontario vineyards
JIM WILLWERTH
With our changing climate and
more and more erratic weather
events being recorded both during
a growing season, and just as
importantly, during the dormant
season, freeze injury is an ongoing threat nationally for our
grape and wine industry. In some
areas, this means the more cold
sensitive V. vinifera grapes, that
our VQA wine industry has been
built on, cannot survive winter
temperatures without some form
of protection. One method of
protection is through the use of
geotextiles, which are materials
used for winter protection of
crops, mainly in the nursery
industry but are also used in some
vineyards where winter
temperatures can be severe.
There has been greater interest
in these materials for vineyard
use in Ontario and some growers,
such as Rob and Sally Peck,
Sugarbush Vineyards, are currently experimenting with them.
Growers are concerned that
through the current process of
burying/unburying that vines can
be physically damaged leading to
crown gall infection and
detrimental to soils through
aggressive cultivation and hilling.
Furthermore, bud loss can
occur due to physical damage as
well as rot, particularly in wet

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springs and falls. Finally, timing
of application and removal of
protective materials and weather
conditions are critical for good
protection and prevention of
premature bud break which can
result in bud mortality due to
freeze injury from spring frost.
Therefore, the use of
geotextiles may be a way to
eliminate these concerns while
helping to increase and sustain
production yields.
There is also potential for
these to be used to grow more
cold-sensitive varieties in
Niagara.
Our research objectives were to:
- determine the effectiveness of
geotextiles on mitigating damaging cold temperatures
- examine vine microclimate
below the geotextile materials and
how these impact bud hardiness
and bud survival
- investigate different types of
materials
- examine timing and removal of
these materials on bud hardiness,
bud survival, bud break, growth
and yields
- help determine ‘best practices’
for using geotextile materials for
cold protection in Ontario vineyards
Established vineyard blocks in
Prince Edward County

(Wellington) and Niagara peninsula (Vineland) were selected for
the geotextile trials. Two V.
vinifera cultivars were chosen
including a Chardonnay and a
Pinot Noir cultivar. Geotextile
materials were purchased from
different suppliers.
The two materials used for this
study included Hibertex Pro frost
protection fabric from Dubois
Agrinovation and ArboTherm
from Texel.
Hibertex Pro is a white,
non-woven fabric made of UV
resistant polyester fiber.
Arbotherm is a polyester felt on
which a black LDPE has been
applied underneath in order to
render it waterproof. Two
different widths of these materials
were used to ensure proper coverage of the grapevines – six foot
widths were used in Prince
Edward County and 11.5 foot
widths were required for use in
Niagara. The geotextile materials
were applied in vineyards during
the week of November 13, 2012
and removed at multiple times
during vine deacclimation.
During the trial, a number of
observations were made. The use
of geotextiles generally requires
some pre-pruning in order to
place the material over the vines.
Mechanization and logistics of

Here is an example of geotextile covering in a Prince Edward County
vineyard.
applying and removing
geotextiles needs to be further

studied.
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

DECEMBER 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PAGE B7
THE GROWER

FOCUS: VINEYARDS AND WINERIES

Geotextiles can reduce freeze injury in Ontario vineyards
CONTINUED FROM PAGE B6
There is a greater capital cost
with geotextiles so durability is
also a concern. However,
following one year of study, the
materials were found to remain in
excellent condition for reuse the
next year.
The effectiveness of these
materials on bud/cane health and
improving yields is very evident
compared to buried vines. To
date, geotextiles have been shown
to be a very effective way of protecting buds from freeze injury,
leading to better vine health and
significantly better production in
terms of yields. Data from the
2013 growing season show that
geotextiles can double yield/vine
(i.e. 2.1 kg vs 0.9 kg/vine for
Chardonnay) compared to
traditional methods of using soils.
Crop value, vineyard and
operation size will all impact if
these materials are economical for
vineyard use. However, when
crop levels are doubled, this can
make a strong argument for better
sustainability, especially when
many growers are trying
to increase yields to greater than

Grapevine which was protected using geotextiles and displaying
larger crop size.
Control grapevine used for geotextile studies with reduced crop size
one to two tonnes/acre.
Conclusions
It was found that geotextile
materials can be successfully used
to protect grapevines from cold
injury in regions where winter
temperatures can commonly drop
below -20 degrees C. The
materials tested in this study
impacted vine microclimate in
multiple ways.

Monthly average temperatures
were higher as were both absolute
maximum and minimum temperatures compared to the control.
Temperatures were most
consistent under the soil with
buried vines without extreme
maximum or minimum
temperatures. Geotextile materials
were found to be more effective
with temperature mitigation when
placed over grapevines on a low
wire system, closer to the soil

where geothermal and snow
insulation can further moderate
temperatures.
The type of geotextile material
does impact cold hardiness
dynamics and timing of removal
can also impact grapevine cold
tolerance. Therefore, these factors
need to be considered when using
some of these materials for winter
protection.
Burying of vines is an
effective way to protect
grapevines from damaging winter

temperatures, however the
process of hilling soil over the
entire grapevine can result in rot
and physical damage to the vine
which can reduce bud viability
and hence yield potential. As a
result, yield potentials are half of
what they are when geotextile
materials are used.
Jim Willwerth, senior research
scientist, viticulture, Cool Climate
Oenology and Viticulture
Institute, Brock University,
St Catharines, ON.

PAGE B8 –– DECEMBER 2013
THE GROWER

FOCUS: VINEYARDS AND WINERIES

Constructed treatment wetland purifies vineyard waste
the natural way
LILIAN SCHAER FOR
ONTARIO SOIL AND CROP
IMPROVEMENT
ASSOCIATION
Tough new regulations
governing vineyard waste
management meant the owners of
Sixteen Mile Cellar in the
Niagara Region had some tough
choices to make. Previously,
small estate wineries were
allowed to store the liquids and
residues from their grape crush
on-farm and then haul them away.
The rule change now requires
waste treatment facilities on site,
which can get very expensive
very fast.
“For small wineries, this is a
big burden. Even if you only
crush grapes for one week of the
year like we do, you have to
provide waste treatment,” says
Paul Vander Molen, Sixteen Mile
Cellar’s farm property manager.
“So we started searching for ideas
that would address the waste
issue properly but also be

affordable.”
The solution was a constructed
treatment wetland that uses nature
to pre-treat the winery waste—
wash water, grape liquids and
stems and skins left over once the
grapes are crushed—before it is
disposed of.
The crush residue flows out of
the winery into a holding tank
and is then pumped into a
four-chamber constructed treatment wetland that is located just
outside of the main winery
building. The chambers are lined
with rubber and filled with gravel
and soil that filter and purify the
grape waste. From there, the
remaining liquid goes into a
pressurized septic system and
then into a filter bed for release
back into the environment. An
alternative option was an open
system, but the potential for
odour and the proximity to the
winery building made this idea a
non-starter.
“Wineries, especially small
estate wineries like this one, don’t
produce a lot of waste but we still

have to solve the problem of dealing with it,” Vander Molen says.
“This solution is not only a good
treatment option, but it will also
provide a natural habitat for frogs
and other wildlife once it is
completed.”
The underground system was
first used in 2012 and Vander
Molen says it will ramp up to full
capacity for the 2013 grape harvest. This spring, cattails, bull
rushes and iris will be planted on
top of the wetland to complete its
construction and give it a more
natural look.
There are currently more than
1,000 constructed wetlands in
North America being used to treat

various waste streams, such as
municipal wastewater and coal
and metal mine drainage. Sixteen
Mile Cellar is one of the first
wineries in Ontario that has been
affected by the new rules and has
adapted this type of a system
using a wetland to pre-treat their
winery waste. He expects others
will follow suit as they face
compliance with the new
regulations.
To help with the cost of
constructing the wetland, Sixteen
Mile Cellar accessed cost-share
funding through the CanadaOntario Farm Stewardship
Program (COFSP). COFSP
provided cost-share funding for
farmers to implement best
management practices that
provide environmental benefit
on-farm. Funding was available
on a first come, first served basis
to farmers who had a
peer-reviewed Environmental
Farm Plan (EFP) in place and had
projects that have been approved
under the program.
EFP and COFSP were funded

under the Best Practices suite of
programs of Growing Forward, a
federal-provincial-territorial
initiative. The programs were
administered by the Ontario
Federation of Agriculture acting
on behalf of the Ontario Farm
Environmental Coalition. The
Ontario Soil and Crop
Improvement Association
delivered the programs to
farmers.
“The funding really helped us
make this work. This project and
some of the others we’ve done
really fit into the concept of
environmental goods and services
and being a responsible producer,” says Vander Molen, referring
to a tree planting initiative and
the replacement of a failed culvert
with a new stream bridge crossing
to improve fish habitat that were
both also completed on the same
property recently.
For further information please
contact the Ontario Soil and Crop
Improvement Association at
www.ontariosoilcrop.org or
1-800-265-9751.

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The ‘AQUA Wetland System’ is operated out of doors
and can achieve year-round tertiary treatment of wastewater. This sub-surface, vertical flow constructed wetland
consists of sand & gravel beds planted with moisture
tolerant plant species. Water is pumped vertically from cell to cell. There is no open or standing water.
Treatment occurs through physical filtration & biological degradation. Plants shade & insulate the cells,
cycling nutrients while preventing algae growth. There is no production of sludge.
The AWS has been approved for use by the Ontario Ministry of Environment through over 40 Environmental
Compliance Approvals. Recently the Region of Niagara began approving the AWS for treatment of ‘small
flow’ winery washwater I.e. < 10,000 liters per day. Other agencies who have issued approvals include
Health Canada, USEPA and OMAFRA. Recent projects include:
1) treatment of cider mill washwater at Bennett’s Apple and Cider in Ancaster
2) treatment of winery washwater at DiProfio Wines and Lincoln Farm
Winery in Niagara
3) treatment of pond water at Hihojo Farms for supply of hog drinking water